The Other Side Up
by mionejaina561
Summary: Melanie Fischer is a ghost from Don's past and now she is back in New York helping out Mac and the crime lab. Can she and Don Flack rekindle what they had before she left 4 years ago or will they falter like before? Flack/OC,DL, Smacked, with Hawkes
1. Someday

**The Other Side Up- Melanie Fischer is back in different style than before. Because of layoffs and budget cuts, Melanie is now a double duty person, helping Mac and NCIS. Can she and Don Flack rekindle what they had before she left? Don/OC**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of CSI:NY characters. They belong solely to CBS. Melanie Fischer is my own creation. This is different from Reflections of Hope. I am concentrating more on CSI:NY and Don and Melanie's relationship. The timeline basically is a few months after Mac finds out Sinclair want to lay off some of his techs. Now I am not letting Adam go but some others. So that is why Melanie is back and working with Mac and his team. **

**So enjoy.**

**Well I'd hope that since we're here anyway  
That we could end up saying  
Things we've always needed to say  
So we could end up staying  
Now the story's played out like this  
Just like a paperback novel  
Let's rewrite an ending that fits  
Instead of a Hollywood horror**

**Nothing's wrong, just as long as  
You know that someday I will**

**Someday, somehow  
I'm gonna make it all right but not right now  
I know you're wondering when**

**Someday ~ Nickelback**

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Two drunk women walked down the street from the bar they were just at, laughing and yelling at the top of their lungs. One of the women was swaying as they looked around for any cabs, and being as drunk as they were, trying to hail one out of nowhere. Somehow these lovely young ladies hoped a nice cab driver would show up and save them from walking 25 blocks to their hotel.

"Heeeyyy, let's go this way." One of them said, pointing down a alley that went to the next street. "Maybe we'll have better luck."

"Alright but if we get lost, I'm telling the guys its your fault." The brunette said, as they stumbled together in the alley. Then the blonde tripped over something and fell into a wet puddle. She got up and wiped her skirt off. She looked at her hand, noticing that the liquid dripping off of them was extremely thick. She looked to her sidekick and saw her horrified face.

"Oh my god…" the brunette said, as the blonde looked where she was looking. And at that same moment, they both screamed at the sight of a dead marine.

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Detective Mac Taylor arrived in that same alleyway an hour later after getting a page. It had interrupted his dinner with Stella, who fortunately understood why he had to leave. He kissed her on the cheek as he said goodbye, and left the restaurant they were eating at. He knew that his new CSI collaborator would be landing shortly so he sent a brief text message to have her meet him at this particular crime scene. Mac knew that once she got the text, she would probably chew his head off for making her work so soon. However the more hands he could get at the moment, and not on his budget was more than welcome.

"What we have here Mac?" Lindsay Monroe asked, walking up to the body beside him, setting down her silver case that held any materials they needed.

"Dead Marine, shot through the chest. Possibly by a high caliber weapon, at a mid range." Mac said, shining his flashlight on the hole in the chest of the dead body. He then heard a familiar voice arguing with the policemen guarding the crime scene.

"See, badge, photo Id, my face. I think they all match. I'm Melanie Fischer, NCIS, which is what it states on this ID, which proves who I am. Do you need my social and birth date while you're standing looking dumb, scrutinizing my badge?" Melanie Fischer asked, as the cop nodded to let her through. She ducked up the yellow crime scene tape, muttering a few curse words back at the cop. Her blue eyes lit up when seeing Mac, who smiled slightly back.

She kneeled down across from Mac, shining her flashlight up and down the marine's body. "I think Mac, that this city hires more and more stupid cops as time goes on." She stated, as Mac laughed slightly. "That and apparently, this city does not run out of dead bodies for us to process. Guess nothing new has changed since I left."

Lindsay looked at the newcomer surprised at the tone she took with Mac. "If there aren't any dead bodies, we would be out of a job." Mac replied, simply. The woman in front of him laughed. Melanie was wearing a loose fitting pair of dark blue jeans, with an I love New York t shirt on under a black corduroy jacket. Her auburn hair was tied back with a simple hair band and her Tiffany's watch that was given to her years ago, glowed on her wrist in the dark. The former NY CSI pulled on latex gloves Mac just handed her.

"Seriously Mac, why did you text to right after I just got off the plane. I barely had enough time to drop my luggage off at your office and head here in a cab of all things. Guy seriously did not understand where I wanted to go. Not only am I pulling Special Agent in Charge at the New York office for NCIS but I'm supposed to help you too." Melanie said, as she reached over to see if the Marine had any dog tags under his dress uniform. Mac just gave her a glare, as she shown her flashlight on the dog tags. "Lance Corporal Kyle Houle, Marine Corps. Ah great, just what I want my first day back in New York."

Mac's cell phone rang for the second time that night. "Taylor." He answered as dispatch said they had another two dead bodies at Central Park and near Times Square. He sighed as he hung up. "Look, I hate to leave you two lovely ladies but two more dead bodies call my name. I assume you two can handle this?"

Lindsay nodded as Melanie laughed. "Mac I wouldn't be here if we couldn't handle it. I believe that… uh… this nice lady will help me where I might need it the most. Go scoot, there's no reason why you should be here when this is my jurisdiction anyway and the fact I'm now officially pulling double duty." Mac nodded as he gathered his kit and walked away. Lindsay raised an eyebrow at the other woman who apparently was the new CSI everyone around the lab was talking about. Thank God it was another woman, Lindsay was starting to feel outnumbered.

"I'm CSI Detective Lindsay Monroe." Lindsay said, extending her hand to the unknown woman.

"NCIS Special Agent and former New York CSI Detective second grade, Melanie Fischer." Mel replied, shaking the other's hand. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself before hand. I was feeling a bit rushed. I haven't lived this lifestyle in four years."

Lindsay smiled, feeling an instant connection to this new woman. "Former?" she asked, as she looked closely at the gunshot wound that killed the poor guy. Melanie stood up and walked around to Lindsay's left side near the head of the dead body. She waved her flashlight over the head, looking closely for any trace evidence that would get them closer to the killer. The red head looked down at the ribbons on his shirt and realized that this Marine was one who had been in Iraq.

"He's seen some action recently. Must have just been sent home from Iraq. When I get back to my office, I'll look up his file." Melanie said, showing Lindsay the ribbons. The CSI picked up the camera behind her and starting taking photos of the dead body as Melanie flashed her light down the alleyway.

"So have you worked with Mac before?" Lindsay asked, in between flashes. Mel laughed as she lit up the upper half of the alleyway.

"Yeah, which is why I said former CSI. I started off here at the crime lab, with Mac as my superior. He taught me everything there is to know about forensics, more so than my actual classes did at NYU. With the layoffs at the lab, Mac asked Sinclair if they could figure something out. Sinclair heard my name before and asked the director of NCIS if he could transfer me back here to help out. It also helps I'm on the federal government's budget and not New York City's" Melanie replied, looking closely at the fire escape above her. "Hey can you tell if the shot was a through and through?"

"Well considering I can see the gravel in the wound I would say so." Lindsay replied, as Melanie walked back over to her.

"I guess we can't tell trajectory until we get this guy to the morgue." Melanie said, as she heard a strong New York accent walking up.

"So I talked to very nice drunk women over there…" Detective Don Flack said, stopping short when he saw the red head examining the crime scene with Lindsay. Melanie looked up to see the handsome detective and smiled. Lindsay looked between the both of them and continued to examine the crime scene.

Melanie looked Flack up and down, examining the black suit he was wearing with a purple tie to match his shirt. "Looks like your mother still dresses you, Flack." She said, as Lindsay snorted with laughter.

"Why do you say that Fischer? Still hate my ties?" Flack replied, as Melanie got up and brushed herself off to come shoulder to face with Flack.

"I will always hate your fugly ties. Don't know why you bother to wear them." Melanie replied, leaning over to peek at his black notebook. He snatched it closer to him so she couldn't see it.

"If you wanna know what I know, you have to be nicer to me and not make fun of my ties." Flack said, as the red head glared at him.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "If I have to. Can you please tell me what you were gonna say before you saw my insanely gorgeous face?"

"Who says I stopped cuz I saw you?"he replied, hearing more snorting laughter coming from Lindsey. "Shut up, Monroe. I still have to pay you back for the doll scene."

"Just give her the damn information, Flack." Lindsay replied, as the ME came up with a gurney and black body bag.

"Fine, the nice drunk ladies found him an hour ago by tripping over him. They said they didn't hear anything before they travelled down the alley. So far, no witnesses to say if they even heard a shot. But then, what can you expect from people around this city." Don said, as the ME wheeled the dead body away. "Well I'm off to figure out what kind of bad guy did this. Let me know if you ladies need anything."

He started to walk away when he heard the all too familiar New York accent. "Yo, Flack. You know that we will have to work together on this case. I'll have more access to the information you want and this lab has the evidence we need to solve this case. Will you be ok with that?" Melanie asked, as Don turned around to meet her blue eyes.

"I'm ok with it. The question is are you?" Don replied, softly. Her eyes hardened.

"It's my job to get to the bottom of this. I won't let personal shit get in the way. Let me know what you get. We'll be at the lab once we're done here." Melanie replied, turning back toward the alley. Don huffed as he walked away, ducking under the tape again. As Melanie returned, Lindsay looked at her questioningly.

"What's his problem?" she asked, using tweezers to pick up a hair out of the blood pool that was by the body.

"Me." Mel replied, tersely. She started to walk past the blood as she got toward the dumpster looking for any more evidence. "We have a history, something I would rather not get into. Story later, crime scene first."

Lindsay held up her hands in defense after placing all bags of evidence in a box next to her. "Look, I didn't mean to pry. I just never seen Flack like that."

Melanie stopped before a green dumpster, looking at the dent in the side of it. "Hey Monroe, come over here." She said, as Lindsay walked over to where she was. "Look. Now it is just me or does that look like a bullet hit it?"

The two knelt down to examine it more closely. Their flashlights shone on the dented side and they together swung their hands to the right to show a bullet stuck in the brick wall beside it. "Either our shooter was extremely good and wanted to hit this dumpster or his first shot missed." Melanie said, as she dug a pair of tweezers out of her back pocket. She pulled the bullet out carefully and examined it under Lindsay's light. She turned it around a bit, noticing slight damage.

"Look's like a 308. Marine sniper rifle." Melanie said, as Lindsay and her headed back to the kit to put it in a evidence bag.

"You know that just by looking at it?" Lindsay asked, as they picked up everything and headed toward the Tahoe the NY crime lab used.

"I'm a if it goes boom and explodes analyst." The red head as they set down everything they had in the back. Lindsay looked at her quizzically. "I'm a ballistics and explosives expert. I know every kind of sniper rifle out there, their bullets and jackets. I just like things that go boom. It fascinates me."

"You still know what kind of weapon and bullet it was just by looking at in the dark?" Lindsay asked again, as they climbed into the truck.

"I worked very closely with Marines at my previous job posting. Trust me, I know what kind of power those rifles carry. I've seen it first hand. Never ever piss off a Marine sniper. They can shoot you from very far away." Melanie said, as they drove off toward the lab.

"Where were you stationed before you came here?" Lindsay asked, weaving in and out of traffic.

"Iraq, for four years. Most of the Marines and Navy hated me, some loved me. All depended on the day." Melanie replied, as they slid to a stop behind several cars and taxis. Lindsay nodded, trying to look at the traffic ahead of them. She sighed happily, letting her head rest against the seat. "God it's good to be back."

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**This is going to be a continuing story, throughout time as I think of more things. I'll be concentrating both on this one and Reflections. Now Review!**


	2. Forgiveness

**Eh this should be my last update for the night. My head hurts. Anyways, Melanie has a history with most of Mac's team except for all the people who came in Season 2 and beyond. Here you see Danny's point of view.**

**Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. ~Paul Boese**

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Danny Messer and Sheldon Hawkes stood in the freezing cold, looking down at the young woman's body a jogger found earlier that evening. Danny had been enjoying a nice cozy night at home, watching the Ranger's game when his phone rang. He looked down at it and realized it was Mac.

"Mac seriously it's my only night off. What's so important you need me?" he said, picking up a wrinkled shirt from his couch.

"Three dead bodies, not enough CSI's. Get your ass to Central Park. Hawkes should be there when you get there." Mac said, as Danny reached the front door of his apartment. "Look I know all of you have been working really long hours, but it's the price we pay. But now that we do have extra help you might get more nights off."

"I hope the extra help is hot Mac. It would definitely make it worth my while to spend time at work." Danny replied, grabbing his jacket before heading out to the street toward his car. Mac laughed.

"Trust me, it's gonna be worth everyone's while." Mac said, as he hung up. Now that conversation took place over an hour ago. Now he and Hawkes stood there, trying to figure out what exactly was evidence.

"This scene is way too clean, even for Central Park." Sheldon said, as both flashlights lit up the pathway. Both of them knelt down next to the dead body. Hawkes took out the body thermometer and stuck it in the dead woman's body. "She's only be dead about three hours. I'm surprised no one saw anything."

"No one ever sees anything in this part of the park, especially since most of them are junkies and don't like to talk to anyone with any kind of badge." Detective Jessica Angell said, walking up to both of them. "The jogger that found the body says the only people around this area at night are the people looking for a high. Lots of drug deals go down here."

Sheldon looked up from examining the body. "So far looks like the cause of death is asphyxiation. Possibly from a plastic bag or someone's jacket. Either way, this poor girl suffocated." He said, as Angell walked away. The ME van pulled up and someone pulled a gurney with a black bag with it out.

"She got any identification on her?" Danny asked, letting the ME through to take the body back to the morgue.

"Nope, the dress she was in held nothing. Looks like we might have to depend on IAFIS and missing persons to identify her." Hawkes replied as the two scoured the area around the dead body. Soon they gave up. "Nothing looks out of place. Not even a piece of paper, absolutely nothing."

"Great just what we need. A clean crime scene." Danny muttered as they grabbed their kits and headed back to their vehicles. "Hawkes meet you at the lab?"

"Sure. I hear the new CSI starts tonight. Maybe we'll get to meet her." Hawkes yelled getting into his car. Danny sighed as he started his own car and pulled away to exit the park. As he drove, his thoughts wandered from Lindsay to this new detective that would be joining the team. He wondered what she could possibly bring that would make Mac happy. He knew that Lindsay might feel a bit jealous not being the new girl anymore but hell who knows what could happen.

"God, I'm such an idiot." Danny said to himself as he pulled into the garage for the NY police department and crime lab. He noticed that Hawkes was pulling in beside him and noticed that Lindsay's car was parked there also. That meant that she was up at the lab working or in the field with another case.

Danny knew he screwed up what he had with Lindsay by sleeping with Rikki Sandoval. He hoped that someday she would be able to forgive but for now, he would take her at least speaking to him. Hawkes walked up beside him and they both headed toward the elevator. They entered the elevator in silence and Danny's tired body slumped against the wall.

"Dude, these 48 hours days are getting old. I sure hope this help can alleviate these long hours." Danny said, as Hawkes stood there alert. "How do you stay awake?"

"You learn not to sleep." The doctor replied as they stepped off the elevator. As soon as he got off he saw Lindsay and a very familiar red head in the lab with Adam Ross, one of the three lab technicians they had now.

"Shel, look who it is." Danny whispered as Sheldon recognized the familiar face in the lab.

"You don't think…"

"Mac brought her back?" Danny said, as Melanie stepped out once she recognized the two of them.

"Big Red, what brings you back to this part of the world?" Danny asked, as the former CSI headed toward them.

"Work."

"No really, it's been what years since I saw you last?" Danny replied, as she stopped right in front of him.

"Four years, twenty three days, Messer." Melanie replied, her blue eyes twinkling.

"What? You missed me that bad you've been counting the days since you've seen me?"

"No Messer, I've been counting how long it has been since I got away from you and your insults on my ego."

"Ouch that was a low blow, Red. Thought you missed me?" Danny said, clutching his heart. Sheldon laughed as Melanie went up to hug the other man.

"I missed our favorite ME. He was always a walking encyclopedia." She said, as she pulled away from Hawkes. "Now he's a CSI. Who am I going to go to when I want a cause of death?"

"Sid Hammerbeck. He's good and charming. You'll two get along great." Sheldon replied, smiling. Melanie turned to Danny and reached out her arms.

"I did miss you Messer. Insults and all. Now can I get a hug from my best friend?" Mel said, pouting as Danny hugged her, swirling her around. He put her down as she squeezed him hard. "It's been too long, Danny. How have you been?"

Danny put his hand on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "I've been better, Mel. I'll explain later when we get a chance." He said, as a disgruntled Lindsay glared at him from the trace lab. "You've met Montana then I see."

Melanie raised an eyebrow. "Someone else has a cute nickname? I'm hurt Messer. I'm the special one here." She said, as Danny shrugged innocently. "Montana, eh? Yeah she's my partner on my case. Cool gal if you ask me."

"Did I ask you if you thought she was cool?" Danny replied, as Lindsay came out to meet the crowd in the hallway by Mac's office.

"Did I say I wanted your opinion?" Melanie retorted, waving the country girl to join them. The two ex lovers stood beside each other, not speaking to each other. "Whoa, did something happen that I need to know about Messer? Monroe?"

Lindsay shed a quick glare in Danny's direction when she smiled sweetly at Melanie. "No, not really. I'm going back to Adam to see if he's identified anything we found yet." She said, turning on her heel hotly returning to the room that held a very confused Adam.

Mel then turned to Danny. "What the hell did you do to her Messer?" she asked her stare narrowing. Sheldon turned to Melanie and hugged her lightly.

"I'm going down to the morgue to see if Sid has started on our dead body yet. It's nice to know that you're the help Mac brought in. It'll be nice for someone seasoned and well trained to be part of the team. I'll catch up with you later." Hawkes said, disappearing in the elevator. The trained intelligence agent crossed her arms and nodded toward the break room.

"Move Messer. You need to explain everything. I don't want Lindsay there thinking you are something more to me than a really good friend." Melanie said, walking briskly toward the break room. Danny sighed and followed her there. She motioned to a table and they both sat down. Her blue eyes softened when she met his eyes. "What did you do that was so horrible that Miss Monroe won't even speak to you."

"I cheated on her."

"Danny!" Melanie scolded.

"Look, a kid I cared about was shot and killed six months ago. I wasn't in the best of mind when I went over to comfort his mother. Our grief was shared and one thing led to another. I told Lindsay almost immediately after it happened. Other than briefing me on cases, she hasn't talked to me since." Danny said his head down guiltily. "Don't ask me why I did it, I did. I care 'bout her Red. More than anyone else I've had in my life."

His eyes looked up to see Melanie looking at her delicate hands. He knew that her and Don parted on bad terms four years ago when she left the country. However, Danny knew that no one ever compared to Melanie in Flack's eyes. He bet that Mel didn't even know that. He reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Look, maybe you should, after your case, talk to Don. It might do you both good." Danny said, softly. "And could you please do me a favor?"

Melanie rolled her eyes. "How many favors do you owe me now? A thousand?" she said, as they both got up.

"Try to talk to Montana for me. Tell her I want to talk, that I want to make things right." Danny said, as they walked out of the room. Melanie stopped and looked at him sternly.

"I'll try. Can't say she'll listen to me at all, but I can try." Mel said, pushing him in the shoulder. "You however need to think of something that will impress her and make her feel like you want her back. Then maybe she'll reconsider everything."

Danny nodded, as they headed back to the elevator. "I'll think of something."

"Good, Messer. Cuz let me tell ya I really don't want spend my first week here cleaning up your messes." Mel said, as the elevator opened for Danny. "Go look at your dead body. I have some guns that are calling my name for them to be fired."

Danny laughed as he stepped into your elevator. "You go play with your guns. I get to go play hero to a dead woman." Danny said, as the elevator shut on Melanie's eager face. As he headed down to the morgue, he knew what Melanie said was true. He needed to think of a way to impress and win back his Montana. Danny smiled hugely.

And he knew exactly how he would do it. The Don Flack way.

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**Now how do you think Danny should impress Lindsay? Review. I'll be back tomorrow!**


	3. Innocence

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CSI:NY characters. The only ones I own so far are Melanie Fischer and whoever else you do not recognize. Melanie Fischer is of my own creation. **

**Some Mac/Stella. Flack is coming. and Yes wednesday episode will be incorporated into this story. it just creates more drama and such a better story.  
**

**his innocence is brilliant  
I hope that it will stay  
This moment is perfect  
Please don't go away  
I need you now  
And I'll hold on to it  
Don't you let it pass you by**

I found a place so safe, not a single tear  
The first time in my life and now it's so clear  
Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here  
It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it  
This is the best feeling

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming  
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling  
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry  
It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming  
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling  
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry  
This innocence is brilliant  
Makes you wanna cry  
This innocence is brilliance  
Please don't go away  
Cause I need you now  
And I'll hold on to it  
Don't you let it pass you by

**~Innocence Avril Lavinge  
**

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**

Mac arrived at the alleyway a block away from Times Square within twenty minutes of getting the call about the DB. As he walked toward it, he noticed Stella Bonasera was already there, taking crime scene photos. He ducked under the yellow tape again and nodded to the officers guarding it. Stella looked up from the camera and smiled as he set down his kit and turned on his flashlight.

The Greek national was still dressed in the purple dress and matching heels she wore to the dinner she had with Mac. Mac shook his head. "Didn't have time to change, Stella?" he asked, kneeling down to the body that was sprawled out. Stella put down the camera and looked at the body with Mac.

"I already searched his pockets, no ID." Stella said, as Mac let his flashlight wander to the neck of the man dead in front of him. He stepped closer and examined the marks on the man's neck.

"Any clue on cause of death or time of death?" Mac asked, taking the camera and taking closer pictures of the abrasions.

"Stab wounds to the back and abdomen. Sid will have to tell us which one killed him though." Stella said, pointing to the cut in the man's t-shirt.

"He'll like telling you that." Mac replied, as he got up and surveyed the rest of the area. Stella soon joined him and walked with him to see if the murder weapon was stashed anywhere.

"You know, it would be a miracle if we found what killed that guy in this alleyway." Stella said, shining her flashlight up and down the row of dumpsters. "So I am hearing rumors that the new CSI was supposed to start soon. Care to tell me who you managed to get on our budget after letting so many techs go?"

"The lay offs were not my decision Stella." Mac replied, as he walked closer to another dumpster. "I'm having déjà vu Stella. This scene is like that one I just left. Its making me think that these two crimes are related."

"Mac…."

"Fine Stella. The new or should I say old detective we have is not on our budget." Mac replied, as he realized that the murder weapon was going to be nowhere in this alleyway. Stella stopped midstep to look at Mac astonished.

"Please explain what you just said Mac? You said this new person on our team is not on our budget. Then whose budget are they on?" Stella said, as Mac turned to look at her, a smirk on his face.

"The federal governments" Mac replied, waiting to have that answer sink in. Stella's blue eyes widened as she realized exactly what Mac had said.

"Are you telling me that Melanie Fischer, our Melanie Fischer, is back in New York? And working with us?" Stella said, shaking her head. "Whose idea was that one?"

Mac laughed as they headed back the recently vacated spot where they DB lied just minutes before. The ME was wheeling the gurney away with the yet to be identified dead man. "Amazing enough, Sinclair's. He knew Melanie from when she worked with us, and heard from the grapevine that she was ready to come home. So he and I sat down on a conference call with the director of NCIS and asked to have her transferred here to New York."

"And she agreed to the arrangement?"

"Well it took some convincing from me over the phone for her to come back. But she is the best in the field, both in forensics and criminal profiling." Mac replied as him and Stella gathered what evidence they had and walked back to the car. "It also helps that she has worked with all of us before, and knows how the process works."

Stella placed the boxes and her kit in the back of Mac's truck. "Did you even think to tell Don?" she asked, as Mac sighed.

"No but I know he had the surprise of his life tonight when he walked back and saw Melanie processing the scene." Mac said, as he and Stella climbed in their respective vehicles. Mac sat there for a minute as Stella drove away. He knew that the call he took left her with paying the bill again and he would take her out again when he has another chance.

He put the truck into drive and pulled into the busy New York streets. Mac's thoughts wandered to his equal now in Melanie Fischer. She headed up her own team here in New York after the transfer, but she and her team would work closely with Mac's when they weren't busy with their own cases. He wondered if she had found a place yet or if she would suck it up and ask to stay with one of her many friends she still had in New York.

Mac looked up into the glorious New York skyline, knowing that his decision to bring Melanie back was the right one. He just hoped she and Don would see that too.

"Well time will only tell." Mac said, to himself, as he drove back to what he knew would be a nuthouse.

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Detective Don Flack sat at his desk; with his feet up, thumbing through the many case files he had that have yet to be closed. He noticed that the other two Homicide detectives, Angell and Scagnetti that were called out at the same time as him came in twenty minutes later. He nodded hello to both of them as they sat down to write whatever reports they needed to do.

Flack couldn't do anything about retrieving the DB's history until Melanie came back down from the lab and they went to her office one block over. He shook his head trying to grasp the fact that she appeared out of nowhere tonight processing a scene.

"Yo Flack, do you know whose back?" Danny said, coming through the doors at his precinct. Don looked up and gave him a look. "Apparently you do. She was at your crime scene wasn't she?"

Danny made himself at home on his desk, directly across from Flack. The homicide detective sighed. "She appeared out of nowhere Messer. I turn my back to talk to witnesses and I go back to find her there, helping Monroe process the scene."

Danny just sat there, his arms crossed. Don took his feet down and sat up straight. "What Messer?"

"Look seeing Red was just as a surprise to me as it was to you. I was just wondering if anything was tense like it is with Montana and me." Danny said, as his best friend leaned back into the chair, his hands behind his head.

"Scary thing was that everything seemed like old times, before she left. You know us bantering back and forth." Don said, as Danny shook his head.

"I saw her up in the lab and it was like she never left. I didn't realize how much I missed her until she showed up tonight." Danny said softly. "Look, Flack, she knows about Lindsay and I. She told me that I need to do something to show her that I don't want to mess things up again."

"Messer, I'm not the best person to talk to about these topics. Look where my situation ended up." Don said. Danny swung his legs over the edge for a second when he stood up.

"You still have her you know. I will bet anything that you are the reason she came back." Danny replied. The other detective stayed leaning back in his chair and rolled his eyes.

"Stop smothering me and tell me why you came down here." Don asked, sitting up. Danny was about to retort something smart when Don cut him off. "And not to tell me that Fischer's back. The real reason."

"I need your help to win Lindsay back. She's been talking to you more lately and I need to know what's going through her mind." Danny asked, his hands up in defense. Flack stood up slowly, as if he was going to smack his friend upside the head. "I know nothing is going on between you two. You're her friend and I need to know what it is I need to do to win her back."

"Alright Messer. I just need to do me a favor." Don said, as Danny's shoulders slumped in relief. "Get your head out of your ass and realize that I'm not the way to do what you want to do."

His friend glared at him. "You know I'm right."

"Fine you're right." Danny said, starting to walk away when he stopped. "But if you ever need help with your love life, you know I'm here darling."

Don threw a wadded piece of paper at him. "Go do your job Messer. We'll have drinks later."

"I'll have to tell Melanie you've been cheating on her. With me!"

"Messer I'm warning you…"

"Warning me what Flack?" Danny said, as the other detectives snickered at the friendly bantering. Flack was about to respond when Melanie entered the room. She looked around at the snickering detectives then at her two friends. Danny didn't know what was going on when Flack stopped talking so he turned around and ran smack into the red headed agent.

For a minute Melanie lost her balance but managed to regain it by holding Danny steady. "Sorry Red. Didn't know you were there."

"You know, there is a reason why you wear glasses Messer." Melanie said, as Danny stepped away from her.

"Why is that?" Flack asked from his desk.

"Cuz he's blind and can't tell a bug from a person." She said, as Danny gawked. "You know I love you Messer. You better get upstairs; there is something you need to hear."

Danny turned to her and waved sweetly to Flack. "We have a date, Detective, Don't forget that!" he said, as he went back to the lab. Melanie shook her head as she headed toward his desk. He noticed that some of the newer ones were checking her out, and couldn't helped but feel protective of her. She stopped in front of his desk, her blue eyes staring into his.

"You've been cheating on me Flack?" She asked, hiding a smile. Don shook his head as he grabbed his jacket.

"Sure, Fischer. I turned insanely gay when you left and got together with Messer." He retorted as he walked toward the elevator. Melanie stood there, her head to the side. "I know you didn't come down here for Messer. You wanted me up there too. You coming or not?"

Mel rolled her eyes and ran to catch up with him. She reached over him to press the up button. She then turned and looked Flack up and down. "You're looking good, Don." She said, as he placed one arm on the wall, while leaning in close to her.

"So are you." He said as the elevator opened and she slipped under his arm and stepped into it. He followed her into it and pressed the number of the floor the lab was on. "Did you plan on telling me you were coming back to New York?"

She huffed as she didn't answer. The silence was unbearable to him as they rode up in elevator so when the doors opened it was a welcome sound to his ears. They exited the elevator, only to see Stella and Mac walking their way. Stella lit up when she saw her old friend and walked even faster toward them when she was attacked by the smaller woman with a huge hug. Mac stood back, looking at Don smiling because they both knew that Stella and Melanie were close and kept in touch while the red head was overseas.

The two broke apart and linked arms. "So I take it you went down to get Don for something right?" Stella asked as the two walked down the hallway toward Adam's lab. "You met Adam I presume?"

"God yes. He is amazing. Can you clone him and give one of him to my office?" Melanie replied, as Don and Mac fell into step behind the women. The four of them entered the lab to see Hawkes, Messer and Monroe standing around waiting for them. Adam stood there in the middle, antsy.

"Alright, Adam anytime. Why did you want to see us all?" Mac asked, as the other looked at him questioningly.

"Ok, ok. So you know the hair that you two took out of the pool of blood with your guy?" Mel and Lindsay nodded. "Well it matched the hair and DNA of Danny and Hawkes victim."

The four of them looked at each other and sighed. "Ok so the dead girl was with the dead guy. What does that have to do with Mac and my dead body?" Stella asked, as Adam typed something into his computer. A military id came up on the screen. "I ran his picture that you sent me Stella. And almost immediately this came. Lance Corporal Fred Ticker."

Melanie sighed again. "Let me guess my dead marine is linked to their dead marine?" she said, as Adam pulled up another photo.

"Actually all three of them worked in the same unit in Iraq. The blonde woman is a civilian nurse, Heidi Young who went over to Iraq to get field experience. She was engaged to Ticker." Adam replied showing them the myspace photo of the three now dead people on the screen.

"Well that answers our question of who our dead bodies are." Danny said, as Adam started typing again.

"So what were the three of them doing in New York?" Mac asked, as Melanie stood there looking at the picture intently.

"Wait a minute, I know her." Mel said, tapping the screen. "Where is this Heidi Young from Adam?"

"That is what I'm going to show you next. The reason they were back in New York." Adam started when Mel snapped her fingers.

"Because they all went to high school together. All three of them are from here. I remember her now, she went to the same high school we did Don. Her father is the principal." She said, as the name finally registered in Don's brain. "I remember her seeing me in Iraq; she was so in awe of me. I was her hero. Heidi was a sweetheart, who somehow must have been caught in a fight."

"Ok so we know why they were here in New York., cuz they came back home. Now the main question is, who the hell killed them?" Danny asked, crossing his arms. Don was looking at Melanie, whose emotions were starting to show. Don noticed that she took out the rubber band holding her hair back and shook her hair, straightening her shoulders. She turned around to Mac, who in return nodded.

"Well that's why we're here Danny. To figure who did." Mac replied. Don could see the determination in his former girlfriend's jaw. He knew that look all too well.

"Oh trust me Mac, we'll find out who killed these people." Melanie said, turning on her heel looking straight at Don. He sighed, knowing exactly where they were going. "We'll find the bastard if I have anything to with it."

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**Some DL fluff coming in the next chapter along with some more Flack and Melanie and Angell interaction!! Review**


	4. Whatever It Takes

**Disclaimer: All CSI:NY characters are CBS and Jerry Buckheimer's. **

**The only one that is my creation is Melanie Fischer and shall so forth be mine. And come on lurkers... review. I wanna know what everyone thinks.  
**

**A strangled smile fell from your face  
What kills me that I hurt you this way  
The worst part is that I didn't even know  
Now there's a million reasons for you to go  
But if you can find a reason to stay**

I'll do whatever it takes  
To turn this around  
I know what's at stake  
I know that I've let you down  
And if you give me a chance  
Believe that I can change  
I'll keep us together whatever it takes

She said "If we're gonna make this work  
You gotta let me inside even though it hurts  
Don't hide the broken parts that I need to see"  
She said "Like it or not it's the way it's gotta be  
You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me"

**~Whatever It Takes Lifehouse**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

When Flack and Fischer left, the rest of the team looked at each other knowingly. "Anyone else feel like we have backtracked five years but with new people?" Danny asked, jumping down from the table he was sitting on.

"What should we do Mac?" Lindsay asked, as all of them walked toward the hallway.

"We re-examine the evidence that could place the killer at all three crime scenes. First we figure out the time of death on all of them. Figure out if we have one or three killers." Mac said, stopping in front of his office. "Look I know that Melanie is a welcome addition to our team but its going to us she and Flack are going to depend on to nail this guy. So let's get working."

The team nodded as Danny and Lindsay walked back to the elevator. Lindsay saw the other CSI and Flack walk to Mac's office to retrieve her luggage and stayed there while Danny and she waited for the elevator. She noticed them talking, animatedly as they seemed to argue back and forth. Monroe made a mental note to ask her new friend what he and Don's relationship entailed.

Lindsay noticed Danny was uncomfortable and fidgeting every few seconds. She rolled her eyes as she turned to face her ex boyfriend. "Look, Danny, I'm sorry for ignoring you every second I have." She said, looking into his gorgeous blue eyes. Those eyes that she fell in love with when she first started widened, realizing what she just said.

"You really mean that Montana?" he replied, as the elevator arrived. The doors opened, letting out people, allowing the two to enter.

"Yes Danny I meant that. I overreacted, women tend to do that." Lindsay replied, as she heard a sigh of relief from them. "Look, I know you screwed things up and it may take awhile for me to trust you again. However I can't see why we can't get a new beginning."

The elevator opened into the morgue and the two stepped out, stopping right before the doors. Danny gently grabbed Lindsay's arm to turn her to him. She looked him in the eyes, as she saw tears forming in them. "I know I messed things up and I'll make it up to you. I love you Montana and I will take every opportunity to prove it to you."

Lindsay's heart skipped a beat as she let what he said sink in. "Oh Danny…" she said, taking her hand in his. "I love you too. We'll take it slow this time, rebuild what we had. This will work out."

Danny nodded as he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He smiled as he opened the door for her. "After you mi lady." Lindsay laughed as she went into the cold and sterile morgue. They saw Sid in front of the three metal tables that held the three dead bodies. The ME looked up and smiled, waving them forward.

"What do you have for us Sid?" Lindsay asked, stopping in front of the first body, the one that Melanie and her processed, as Danny stood there stoically, arms crossed. Sid went to the first body, pulling down the white sheet showing both of them the gaping wound in his chest.

"Well I think this guy died from having his heart ripped out by a bullet." Sid said, as Danny shook his head.

"Time of death, Doc." Danny said, as Sid pulled his magnetic glasses from his neck and placing them on his nose.

"This one, the open wound, died about 5 hours ago." Sid said, pointing to the first body. He moved to the second one, leaving the sheet up. "This one was about 3 hours ago, and the last guy here was the newest one at give and take an hour, hour and a half."

The both of them nodded. "Do you think one guy could have killed them all, Sid?" Lindsay asked, looking at all three of them.

"It could be possible." Sid said, reaching onto the table to grab a few vials of trace evidence.

"What ya got there, Hammerbeck?" Danny asked, as Sid held them up in the light.

"There was some trace on the exterior of the bullet wound on this young man. Seemed to be some blue powdery substance." Sid said, handing them the tiny vial with the blue specks. He handed them the next one. "This was in this young lady's hair when I combed it out. And this was from under the fingernails of our stabbing victim."

The two of them grabbed the evidence and signed the paper Sid handed to them for the handling of evidence. "Thanks Sid. This could help solve the case." Danny said over his shoulder as he and Lindsay walked out. As they exited, he looked at Lindsay. "What do you say we go over this trace with Adam and solve this case before Melanie goes out on a rampage?"

Lindsay laughed, shaking her head. She could only the temper of the native New Yorker. "She got a temper?"

"Like hell she does. There was this one time right after I met her that I started hitting on her. At this particular time, I had yet to meet Don yet so I had no idea they were together." Lindsay raised an eyebrow, urging him to go on. "So she invited me to out for drinks after work. Me being me said yes and met her at the bar a few hours later. There she was, sitting there sipping a beer yelling at the TV at her favorite football team to do better."

"Jets or Giants?"

"Giants. Anyways, I sit next to her, order a beer and start flirting with her. Next thing I know I'm being pushed on the floor by this guy, telling me to keep my hands off his girl. So he and I threw one punch each when Melanie got into the middle, giving me a black eye and Flack bruised ribs."

Lindsay started laughing uncontrollably. "What, Monroe?" Danny asked, as she tried to stop laughing. The image in her head of the tiny red head beating two men much bigger than her was a sight to behold.

"Melanie actually managed to beat you both up? That badly?" Lindsay asked, breathing deeply to catch her breath.

"She's a deadly one. She learned her street smarts from protecting herself from Flack and his brothers." Danny said, as they stepped into the hall in their lab.

"Remind me not to get on her bad side." Lindsay said, walking toward Adam's part of the lab.

"Well what we should do is get this evidence analyzed and do it while Mel is away. That way we don't feel the wrath of an angry Queens native." Danny said, opening the door for Lindsay. She smiled, at him knowing that despite everything a new beginning was on the horizon, and she had a feeling they were going to make it.

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**I am a total DL shipper and was kinda excited to hear their relationship is coming back. Anyways, next chapters is definitely longer.**


	5. My Wish

**You get to see kinda why Melanie came back and she meets Jess. Next chapter will be Jess's POV and Flack's from the office. I'm a sorta Flack/Angell shipper if it comes to it however I love Flack with OC's. Anyways enjoy**

**I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,  
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,  
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,  
And you help somebody every chance you get,  
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,  
And you always give more than you take.**

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,  
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,  
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,  
You never need to carry more than you can hold,  
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,  
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,  
Yeah, this, is my wish.

**~My Wish Rascal Flatts**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Once Melanie turned on her heel, knowing that Flack would be right behind her, she let out the breath she had been holding since figuring out all three cases were connected. She walked briskly toward Mac's office, so she could pick up her luggage and place it in her own office a block away. She heard the clunky footsteps of Flack behind her and stopped in front of Mac's office so he could catch up with her. The auburn haired agent stood their arms crossed, waiting for him.

As she looked in his blue eyes, she noticed sadness, regret and love. That look sent a chill down her back as he looked away to open the door for her. She ducked in so she could grab the four pieces of luggage and her carry on to bring to her office.

"Would you care to help me Flack?" Mel said, her New York accent forming more and more. Don let the door close behind him as he grabbed the two largest pieces of luggage.

"Is that all you brought back?" he asked, as Melanie sighed.

"Most of my stuff is in storage Flack. I have yet to find a place to fit it all." She replied, as Don just stood there. "What? Seriously you're giving the glare you usually give Sam. What did I do this time?"

"Did you even think of telling me you were coming back?" Flack replied, as Mel placed her purse on the chair so she could search for her hair clip. She noticed her gun and reached to get it out to place it in her gun holster. Once she did that, she felt the hair clip and grabbed it immediately. "Seriously, Mel, I'm asking you a question."

As she twisted her auburn hair and clipped her hair back, the end curling over the clip. She turned to look at Don, who stood there silently. "Look, I didn't even know I was coming back until three days ago. I was barely able to get everything together and pass it on before coming here." She said, grabbing her purse and her luggage. She was about to go out the door when he stopped her.

"So you didn't think to pick up a phone and call me? After everything we've been through? You don't have the courage to tell me hey I'm coming home?" Don said, holding her by the shoulder. She looked into his sad and hurt blue eyes.

"And you care to tell me who the hell your new girlfriend is?" Mel snapped, shaking herself from his grip. He dropped his hand in surprise, his eyes narrowing. She knew the sooner or later he would find out why she wanted to come home and the pain in her abdomen were starting to come back, meaning that she needed to take her medications soon.

"Damn it Mel. Don't make me feel horrible about moving on. We haven't been together for four years, since you left me. I like Jess, she's a good woman." Don said, trying to keep his temper in check.

Mel turned around, her eyes blazing. "I left you?! You were the one who wanted me to leave. I never once got over you, Don. Not once."

"Mel, come on. Are we really gonna fight like this?" Mel stood there, as she raised her arms in exasperation.

"Is she good, Don? Does she treat you right?" Mel asked, softly but shakily as Don steadied her. Don Flack, her ex fiancée had moved on. God, was she stupid for leaving. Maybe if she had stayed, everything would have been alright. She felt the right in her left pocket of her jeans rubbing against her thigh. Mel always kept the beautiful sapphire and diamond engagement ring on her at all time to remind her of him.

"She does, Mel. Look I'm sorry." Don said, as he grabbed her ruby red luggage.

"It's not your fault, I shouldn't have left. Life goes on right?" Mel said, as she exited Mac's office with all of her personal belongings she had when she was stationed in Iraq. She heard Don sigh as he pressed the elevator down button.

"Maybe it wasn't meant to be, Mel. We're like fire and fire, we can't put each other out. We fought so much right before you left. It's a surprise you actually returned." Don said, as they entered the elevator.

"I returned because it was my time to. I needed my friends and my family, Don. It was a tough assignment out there." Mel replied, as she dug in her purse for her bottle of water. She looked up at Don, who was holding the bag she needed. "Hey Don, can you check in the front section of the bag on top and hand me the prescriptions in there?"

The New York detective looked quizzically at her as he unzipped the pouch to reveal three vials of pills. He handed her them one at a time, remaining quiet as she quickly opened and swallowed each pills in a row. Once she was finished with them, she handed them back.

The elevator landed on the ground floor so the two of them decided to walk toward her office. She noticed a pretty brunette, with a detective badge on her belt, heading their way. Mel noticed how her eyes lit up at the sight of Don and weaved her way toward them.

"Hey, I was looking for you. Heard our cases are all connected." Angell said, giving Don a peck on the cheek. The other flushed red at the sign of PDA and forced his smile.

"Yeah, Adam managed to get identities on all of them and showed us the connections. We're going to the NCIS office down the street to get more information on the victims." Don replied as the other woman noticed Melanie standing there. Melanie decided to be the better person and held out her hand toward the woman she was doomed to hate.

"Melanie Fischer, NCIS. I'll be helping out Mac on cases when he needs a CSI. You are…" Melanie said, as Angell smiled and shook her hand.

"Detective Jessica Angell, Homicide. So you're the new CSI everyone was talking about? You new to New York?" Angell asked, as Don sighed.

"No actually I grew up here and graduated from NYU with a degree in criminal psychology and forensic science. I started with Mac's team then went Federal 6 years ago." Melanie replied, a sweet smile on her face. So this was the woman Flack was seeing. She thought she looked her up and down. She made a mental note to tell her best friend that he still managed to maintain his good taste in women.

"Oh, so you've worked with the team before?" the female detective said, as Don started walking again. Melanie laughed, following Flack.

"Yeah I have. Look we'll get to know each other better later. We need to get to my office and pull these soldiers files. We'll let ya know what we find." Mel said, over her shoulder. Detective Angell nodded as she went into the elevator to go to the detective ring.

As the two walked out in the chilly January afternoon, Don stopped and turned to Melanie, who in return was laughing silently. "That was not funny, Melanie." He said, as she stood there, hands on her knees trying to catch her breath.

"God, Flack I could have so much fun with her. It's great." Mel replied, starting to walk to the left as Don walked beside her. "You still have good taste in women, thank God. I would totally make fun of you if the woman had no teeth and dressed emo."

"Seriously, Melanie. Not funny. That was just awkward." Flack said, as they stopped on the New York city crosswalk.

"She doesn't know about me does she?" Melanie asked, as they crossed with the hundred other people.

"Haven't had the chance to tell her. We've only been together a month and a half. Plus all the shit that's been happening with Sam, I don't see her very often unless she's picking up from a place I've followed Sam to." Don said, as they avoided numerous tourists and business people on the sidewalk as they reached the building they wanted. Samantha Flack was Don's younger sister by two years and Melanie's best friend of almost 25 years. Just hearing Don's anguish at his sister's expense she knew that a visit was in order with her best friend and soon.

"What kind of shit Don?" Melanie asked, as they entered the Federal Building that housed FBI, ATF, DEA, Homeland Security and NCIS. They stopped at the metal detectors so Melanie's luggage could be scanned and their identities checked out. Mel and Flack knew the process by heart, because of going through it millions of times before she left.

They took off their badges and guns, placing on the circular tray so the security guards could check it out. They scrutinized them and Melanie's bags, waving them through. He handed them everything they needed and Melanie dug her ID out her purse to swipe it at the elevator. As they waited, she looked at Don knowingly. "What the hell has happened to Sam, Don?"

He sighed. "She was almost arrested two month ago for a drunk and disorderly. Then a case brought us to the bar she worked at and I found out she got fired a few weeks before that." The elevator chimed stopping Don before he could continue. They entered then Mel turned to him, an eyebrow raised.

"Sam, my Sam, got fired from the bar. Why?"

"Taking and downing drinks on the job. I confronted her about it and she accused me of not caring. I went to her place and wanted to apologize. She wouldn't buzz me in so I had to play that damn song we used to listen to on the way to the shores. So later that night I followed her to a Alcoholics Anonymous meeting down in Brooklyn."

Melanie stood there listening, as her heart ached for the family who took her in when she needed it the most. She understood that Sam felt like the screw up, never living up to her father's expectations and when Melanie left, things went even more downhill in the Flack family. "Has she told you face to face yet?"

Don's blue eyes told her everything. She sighed as they reached the floor where her office was, exiting onto the busy floor. The director of the New York Office noticed the familiar red head and smiled at her. "Agent Fischer, its good to have you back. Your new office is right across from mine. Everything you requested is in there." Agent Nick Gilmore said, as Melanie nodded walking toward the back of the room.

"No she's called, wanting to apologize and talk things over. She has yet to admit to any of us she has a problem." Don replied as they arrived at the swank office of Melanie's. She looked at the nameplate outside of it, waiting for her friend's reaction. "Deputy Director of the New York Office?"

"Yeah, one of the stipulations of me coming back. I come back and I get promoted to do whatever the hell I want and get away with it." Melanie said, opening the door revealing a room twice the size of her first apartment. "Raise comes with it too."

Her window boasted the view of the street in front of the New York city police department while the desk that held her computer sat in the opposite corner, tidied up for now. She looked around and noticed that Nick had managed to get into her storage unit and grab all of her photos, putting them on the walls, and on her desk. Across from her desk was a built in bar with tons of alcohol and a very comfy looking tan microfiber couch, which if she remembered correctly pulled out into a bed. The bookshelves lining the wall behind her desk boasted many books on forensic science and criminal profiling with framed pictures of her and Don's family, her and Mac's team and then her and Gibbs' team.

"Yeah I see you got a raise. Damn, I wish my office was this nice." Don said, placing her luggage near the couch. She noticed that a wardrobe sat next to the window where she could hang her clothes up until she found an apartment to live in.

"Don, you have a desk not an office."

"Exactly. Now this is the life." He said, sitting down on the couch. Melanie rolled her eyes as she went over to her computer. There was one window that looked out to the floor full of NCIS agents but otherwise it was her own private getaway.

"Well, welcome to my living quarters for at least the next month." Melanie replied, sitting down in the computer chair, turning on the flat screen Dell computer. As it started to power up, she walked over to her hanging wardrobe and opened it, revealing several business attire outfits. "Guess I should change, look like my title."

Flack laughed as he stood up to give her privacy. Melanie waved him back down, as she grabbed a blue silk blouse and a matching pair of black slacks and jacket. "It's nothing you haven't seen already. I don't mind."

Flack sat back down, staring at Melanie as she slipped off her black boots. She lifted her t-shirt over her head, revealing a line of scars down her side where the shrapnel entered her body a few months ago. Don gasped softly at the sight of her side, as she slid the blouse over buttoning it up. "Melanie, when the hell did that happen?" he said, as she slipped on the black slacks, tucking in the blouse.

She looked up at the concerned detective. "A few months ago, in Iraq. A car bomb hit the convoy I was in and shrapnel entered my body. I was out for a month before I was somewhat recovered to go back to desk duty even" She said, as she padded toward her desk again, Flack following her. She sat down only to see his handsome face looking straight at her. "Look, Don, after that day, when I thought my life was over I realized I needed to come home to the one I love. I'm still recovering, every so often a certain move I make hurts."

"You were injured and no one thought to even let me know?" Don asked, quietly pulling up the suede chair behind him.

"No one knows, Donnie. No one, not even the director of NCIS." Mel replied, softly, logging into her computer so they could get the job done they came here for.

"Aren't I your proxy?" Don asked, reaching over to grab Mel's hand. She sighed and placed her other hand on his.

"You still are, Don. I was flown to Berlin once I was stable enough for flight for emergency surgery. The doctors wanted to contact my family, or my proxy. I told them no, I wouldn't want them bothered after I left in such a bad way."

"Mel, what if you died? I would never forgive myself for not telling you one last time that I loved you, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I learned to forgive you over time. I never blamed you for leaving." Don said, as the two looked at each other.

"I heard about your brush with death, Don. How Mac saved your life, how your family came together for once. I wish I could have…" Mel said, choking up remembering the dreadful phone call from Stella the day of the explosion. "I wish I could have been there, holding your hand, willing you through your recovery."

"You were, Mel, in spirit. It was you that kept me alive during the time." Don said, as the tears rolled down Melanie's cheeks.

"Do you still love me Don?" she asked, her heart aching for the touch she wanted back for so long.

His hand pulled away slowly from hers, as he stood up quietly. "I still do, Mel. But I don't know if I loved you like I did before. It's been so long, that now with Jess in the picture… I can't tell you how I feel."

Mel wiped the tears from her eyes, her wall going up again. "Well, let's get to what we were supposed to do. Let's see if someone wanted these people dead." The red head said, her hands shaking as she logged on the registry for Marine and Navy personnel for NCIS.

She typed in the dead marines names and waited for them to appear as Don stood there looking at her. Melanie realized then that maybe she had just lost what she wanted to come back for.

She reached into her pocket, where she had transferred her ring into and brought it out into the open looking at it. Don did a double take when she placed it on her ring finger, the sapphires and diamond shining in the light. As Mel looked down on it, she realized that she was still ready to fight to get the love of her life back. And she would do whatever it took to do it.

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**And the drama ensues from there... with Flack reacting to the news and figuring out who killed these poor marines. Surprises everywhere  
**


	6. If Today was Your Last Day

**I figured after last chapter you could at least see Don's thoughts on Melanie ordeal and have a little suspense thrown in there too. Also throughout the story there will crossover with Criminal Minds since Melanie Fischer is one of the top criminal profilers in the country and NCIS since of course she is an NCIS agent who does have a history with the characters in both shows. FYI.  
**

**Disclaimer: I own no CSI:NY Criminal Minds and NCIS characters. They are CBS and the producers.  
**

**If today was your last day  
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?  
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars  
Regardless of who you are  
So do whatever it takes  
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life  
Let nothin' stand in your way  
Cause the hands of time are never on your side**

If today was your last day  
And tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?  
Leave old pictures in the past  
Donate every dime you have?  
Would you call old friends you never see?  
Reminisce old memories  
Would you forgive your enemies?  
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?  
Swear up and down to God above  
That you finally fall in love  
If today was your last day

**~If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickelback**

**_________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Don Flack sat their in Melanie's office in awe of what she had become. He first knew her and her sister Meghan when they were 8 and lived down the street from them. He knew she had been through hell and high water to get where she was in her life. But when he saw the newest scars splayed across her abdomen as she changed right in front of him, he couldn't help but gasp. He knew one of those scars was the one she received after getting shot by a suspect while working with the Behavioral Analysis Unit within the FBI, however the number of others were news to him.

"Melanie, when the hell did that happen?" Flack asked, as she continued to change out of her jeans into a nice pair of black slacks that hugged her muscular thighs. He felt himself getting aroused at the sight of her half naked body and then the outfit she chose to wear drove him nuts. Don knew he shouldn't feel like this, especially when he already had a gorgeous girlfriend that did wonders for him in the bedroom. But Melanie, his Melanie, the one he had incredible sex with before they broke it off, just stood half naked right there and he still got all hot and bothered at the sight of her.

"A few months ago, in Iraq. A car bomb hit the convoy I was in and shrapnel entered my body. I was out for a month before I was somewhat recovered to go back to desk duty even" Melanie replied, as she zipped up her pants, heading toward her desk again. Away from him. He sighed, getting up from the very comfortable spot on her office couch following her to the mahogany desk. He stood there as she sat down pretending to occupied with her computer, until she finally looked at him."Look, Don, after that day, when I thought my life was over I realized I needed to come home to the one I love. I'm still recovering, every so often a certain move I make hurts."

When her sky blue eyes met his when she said that, his heart melted. He knew deep down that she was talking about him and despite rumors of moving on with the unit chief of BAU, he knew that it was him that she still loved. Don knew the pain she was going through, not knowing whether or not she could make it another day without breaking down, waking up to nightmares of explosions that could have taken their life in a second. But of course, they were spared. She however did not about the explosion he almost died in instead his heart went out to hers because he could have lost her, never telling her how he really felt. Though at this point in time, he didn't know exactly how he felt.

He knew one feeling that came to the top, disappointment that he couldn't help portraying in his words. "You were injured and no one thought to let me know?"he said, looking at the oh so comfortable tan suede chair that lay a few feet to his right. He grabbed it, and slid it to where he could sit right across her, so he could read her eyes.

Mel looked down. "No one knows Donnie. No one, not even the director of NCIS." She replied, softly. Don couldn't help but feel the love he used to have flow back. He knew that she didn't want to burden anyone with her problems, because she thought that they would resent her for it, like her father did after her mother died.

He decided on a different approach. "Aren't I your proxy?" he asked, as he hand slid over hers unconsciously. Don knew doing just that felt right, just like the night he proposed to her.

His ex fiancée sighed. "You still are, Don. I was flown to Berlin once I was stable enough for flight for emergency surgery. The doctors wanted to contact my family, or my proxy. I told them no, I wouldn't want them bothered after I left in such a bad way."

Don's thoughts wandered away for a second to where he was in the hospital, lying in a medically induced coma so he could heal. All he could dream of was her, her body, her eyes, the way they were when they were in love. He thought off all the times he would stare out his apartment window wondering where she was or if she was even alive. However, knowing that she survived a deadly explosion and didn't want anyone to know, he would have never said those hurtful words he said before she left. She would have died thinking he hated her, thinking that no one loved her. Don learned to forgive her over time, slowly but surely realizing that maybe her leaving was for the best, but learning that she had been through a tough ordeal and never sought any help, brought his deep concerning love for her again.

"Mel, what if you died? I would never forgive myself for not telling you one last time that I loved you, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I learned to forgive you over time. I never blamed you for leaving." Flack said, as her blue eyes registered slowly what he had just said. Hell, he didn't realize he said what he did until he came out of his mouth. He knew that it came from his heart and realized that was what counted. Then the words out of Melanie took his breath away.

""I heard about your brush with death, Don. How Mac saved your life, how your family came together for once. I wish I could have…"Mel said, stopping as tears filled her eyes. "I wish I could have been there, holding your hand, willing you through your recovery."

Don knew that those words meant everything to him. He had no idea that she knew about that dreaded day that still haunted his dreams, no idea that she had wanted to be there. When he was going through rehab, and getting back on his feet all he thought was he wanted to do this not just for himself but for her as well. It was the thought of her and her love that made his will to live even stronger.

"You were, Mel, in spirit. It was you that kept me alive during the time." He replied his resolve faltering as he threatened to break down in front of not only his ex fiancée but his best friend. Someone he hadn't seen in years. Even at this time, he didn't whether or not he loved her as his best friend after her being away for so long, or was in love with her still. Everything got more complicated with Jess in the picture.

"Do you still love me, Don?" Melanie asked out of the blue. His heart broke at the moment he said that, knowing that the answer she wanted wasn't going to come, at least right away. His heart was certainly torn between two beautiful women, one that had his heart from the beginning of his life and one that was a constant while the other was gone. He knew the answer to give her wasn't going to be simple.

"I still do, Mel. But I don't know if I loved you like I did before. It's been so long, that now with Jess in the picture… I can't tell you how I feel." Don replied, quietly pulling his hand away from hers as he stood up. His heart couldn't take her breaking down, and if she did, which she rarely has, he would gather her in his arms, lavishing her in kisses and hugs. However, instead of breaking down, Melanie sniffed a few times while wiping the tears from her face, and straightened up, her barriers going up again. Don knew from that point that the conversation was going to be forgotten until they could figure out where to go from there. So he shook off the obvious hurt that the NCIS agent was feeling and put himself into work mode.

""Well, let's get to what we were supposed to do. Let's see if someone wanted these people dead." The red head said, as the New York detective noticed her hands shaking as she logged in the database she had access too. From what he gathered, the files of the two dead marines were classified so he got no where into seeing who or why anyone wanted all the victims killed. Don knew however that if anyone could get the information it was Melanie. He knew she had one of the highest security clearances in NCIS or any federal agency for that matter.

Melanie stopped for one moment, as she pulled out something from her pants pocket, a silver ring that exquisite in and of itself. Flack did a double take as he realized that it was the engagement ring he gave her when he proposed five years ago. He didn't know she had kept it so close to her and that she refused to give it up. He knew that Jessica Angell was in for a fight and he had a feeling that Melanie would win.

"Uh oh." She said, as she looked back at her computer her head to the side, as if trying to figure out something. Don was startled out of his thoughts when she said that.

"Great, what now." He asked, walking over to look at her screen. On it was three pictures, two of the dead marines and one of another that didn't look familiar. He noticed the wanted headline over the third's photo, causing him to groan. "Let me guess. They weren't in New York to visit their families."

Melanie shook her head as she printed out the files, grabbed her cell phone. He stopped her, already having Angell on the phone in a second after seeing the photo. His girlfriend answered almost immediately.

"_Hey, what's up?"_ Jess asked, as Don stood in front of the computer dreading what was to come next.

"We have a problem. None of the victims were in town to visit their families on leave." Don said, as Melanie was slipping on her heeled black boots again and grabbing a black trench coat to keep her warm.

_"Then what were they here for?"_

He saw Mel press a button on her office phone when he heard her boss' voice say hello and her explain what she found. He heard the aggravated groan of Nick Gilmore through the speaker, just as Melanie hung up motioning him to follow her.

"Look Jess, call Mac and put the entire New York police department on alert. We heading down to Homeland Security and letting him know what we found." Flack said, as he and Mel hurried in the now noisy bullpen that was the New York office. He saw Agent Gilmore shoot out of his office as soon as they passed.

_"What did you find?"_ she asked the panic obvious in her voice. Flack sighed as the elevator door opened to reveal three DHS agents standing there, stern looks on their faces.

"Well apparently our Marines were wanted."

_"Wanted for what?"_

Don took a few steps back as the other elevator opened to reveal a few familiar faces of the FBI, Agent Tobias Fornell and Agent Aaron Hotchner, one a liaison with Homeland Security and one with the Behavioral Analysis Unit. He heard Melanie sigh reluctantly as she waved the five other agents and her colleagues into the conference room.

"They were planning a terrorist attack on New York. And there is still one of them on the loose." Don replied, as he stood outside the door where everyone else was gathered.

_"Oh…. Shit."_ He heard Jess say as he heard more commotion over at the precinct. He looked at the grim faces in the conference room, his mind echoing exactly what his girlfriend said.

Oh shit.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Now that is what I call a spur of the moment plot twist. I seriously didn't see that one coming until I finished typing it. FYI Melanie Fischer has history with only SSA Aaron Hotchner and SSA Derek Morgan of Criminal Minds. You'll see that history in later chapters along with NCIS characters making appearances every so often. SO what do you think?**


	7. As Lovers GO

**Its been awhile and I'm sorry. You get to meet Melanie's sister is this chapter and yes she will play a big part in this story. It is Angell's POV and for some weird reason I like explosions. Oh well. **

**Disclaimer: ALL CSI NY NCIS and Criminal Minds characters are CBS. Melanie and Meghan Fischer are of my own creation.  
**

**I'll be true, I'll be useful...  
I'll be cavalier...i'll be yours my dear.  
And I'll belong to you...  
If you'll just let me through.  
This is easy as lovers go,  
So don't complicate it by hesitating.  
And this is wonderful as loving goes,  
This is tailor-made, whats the sense in waiting?**

**~ As Lovers Go - Dashboard Confessional**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

As soon as Detective Jessica Angell hung up the phone with Flack, the noise level in the room rose to a new level of anxiety. Memories of 9/11 came back to haunt those who survived the terrible attacks, and panic came to those who were new to the city, like herself. She knew the words terrorist attack frightened any New Yorker, even 7 years after the devastating day. Hell it frightened her, knowing full well Don Flack would be front and center of the action and that if he was to die, she would be right beside him.

Angell shook herself out of her thoughts to clear her head and start walking up to the crime lab to talk with the team about the newest discovery. She entered in the frenzy that was the lab only to find Sheldon Hawkes run right into her.

"Whoa, Hawkes, watch where you're going. What's the hurry?" Angell asked, as her heart fluttered at the sight of the handsome doctor.

"We found something, of where to find whoever the killer is." Sheldon replied, motioning her to Mac's office, where the stoic man's face showed a myriad of emotions. Angell was never close to the head of the crime lab but to see his emotions displayed like that threw her off.

As the rest of the team entered, Angell noticed the obvious non-presence of Flack, who was usually around when important stuff was found. Mac looked up from what he was doing; acknowledging the two new people that suddenly appeared in his office. Two seconds later, Danny and Lindsay slid into Mac's office, obviously excited about something.

"Mac, do you think we should move to someplace bigger? Your office is pretty tight not that I mind being this close but…" Adam said, as he stepped into the already crowded office, laying down a file on his desk. "Never mind, here's what you wanted."

"Thanks Adam." Mac replied quietly as he nodded to Stella as she entered bearing a file also. "We are going to be moving as soon everyone gets here."

Everyone nodded, including Angell as Mac got up when a text came to his phone. "Ok we're going down to the Federal Building to be briefed on exactly what we have. Do all of you have hard and digital copies of what you just found?"

"Mac, seriously you doubt our abilities?" Danny asked, as he pulled out a USB drive. Jess couldn't help but laugh at the antics of the CSI team. Despite the somewhat impending doom, they seemed to have a sense of humor about it all. Mac smiled, shaking his head as everyone filed out of his office, heading toward the elevator.

Jess felt a little out of place with the rest of the team sometimes, with how close each and every one of them was with one another. She thought that with her and Flack's relationship out in the open, she would feel a bit more accepted but even now after being with him a month and a half there still seemed to be a little resentment among them toward her.

As the seven of them piled into the elevator she couldn't help but feel that some of that resentment stemmed in the fact of Melanie Fischer returning to New York. To her the red head seemed to fit in perfectly with the crowd, even with Lindsay who seemed to relate more to Angell of being the new girl on the team. Jess wondered exactly what was the history between Fischer and Flack, after meeting her while she was with him. Come to think of it, she didn't really know much about her boyfriend's past.

A blast of cold air hit her as they headed outside, walking down the block to the busy sidewalk in front of the crime lab. She shivered as they walked briskly to the front of the building they wanted to enter. Angell noticed the security was tight after the apparent threat on New York was announced to authorities, as the rest of them stripped themselves of their weapons and took out their badges for the guards to look at them. Once they were all cleared, they stepped to the elevator where visitors went up.

"What floor Mac?" Hawkes asked, as they entered the large elevator. Jess squeezed in between the doctor and Stella, who was unbelievably calm, waiting for the elevator to arrive at their destination. When she exited, she noticed the sign of NCIS, immediately knowing that somehow the NCIS agent she met earlier was in charge of this investigation.

"Melanie is very high up in NCIS now. It's more than likely she was the one who found the connection of the terrorist attack to our DB's." Stella whispered to Jess, who stopped to figure out what exactly everyone was doing here. She nodded, acknowledging the other CSI detective. Jess took a deep breath following the rest of them into a fairly large conference room where Flack and Fischer already stood, obviously waiting for the team to arrive. She noticed six other people in the room, marking them as Feds also.

"Finally." Melanie muttered as the team either sat or stood in the conference room. Flack rolled his eyes, stepping back allowing the NCIS agent to start talking. "Alright everyone, listen up. We have a situation on our hands."

"No shit, Sherlock." A strange voice said, as an almost exact replica of the woman standing in front came in the door. Angell's eye bulged as she realized that this woman that came in was obviously the red head's twin, the only difference being that one had red hair and blue eyes and the other brown hair and green eyes. "Now why is it, that a terrorist is on the loose and I was not notified?"

The entire room stood silent as the two stood there, looking at each other, when the good looking dark haired man next to Agent Fischer spoke up. "Agent Flack, I thought DHS had jurisdiction over situations like this, not counter terrorism." He said, when Jess raised an eyebrow towards her boyfriend, asking how this woman was related to him. Don shook his head basically telling her he would tell her later.

"Doesn't matter, Agent Hotchner, I've been investigating this threat for sometime. My question is why is BAU here?" Agent Meghan Flack responded as the older male next to the now named federal agent stood up.

"Because I asked him to be here, considering there were more Marine deaths down in DC that NCIS was investigating and I figured it to be a serial killer. These came up and I asked Agent Hotchner to join me in trying to profile this killer. Only we stepped into this." He said, as Melanie stood at the front, apparently annoyed.

"Nor do I care about that. I have been investigating this case for three months now. How is it you forgot to inform me of this little meeting Agent Fornell?" the FBI agent replied, as she turned to Melanie giving Jess full view of the bulging belly of the agent. "And you of all people don't even bother to tell me you're back in town and on a case that is related to mine? You should have known better. An why the hell is NYPD here anyways, this is a federal case."

Angell felt anger rise up in her when the bitch of a FBI agent disrespected the most honored police force in the country. Don however took his stand against her. "Because there was a civilian killed, so therefore we are involved, Agent Flack. If there is an imminent attack planned for this city, us mere NYPD detectives and police force should know about it, especially after 9/11. You of all people should know that, Meg."

An argument was about to ensure when the red head slammed her hands down on the table, startling everyone. "Will everyone shut up about who has jurisdiction? This is exactly how 9/11 happened in the first place." Melanie said, shutting the chatter up immediately, gaining everyone's attention. "Look, we have a very unstable suspect out there who is planning some kind of catastrophic event that could change history in the country yet again. And I hope I speak for everyone that we do not want another event like that to happen, which is why I called everyone here today. Together and only together can we stop this psycho. Now let's get down to business. First I'll have the CSI team tell me exactly what they found on the bodies, leading us to believe that this event might involved a bombing. Then everyone else can have a turn, is that understood?"

Everyone nodded, as Melanie looked her sister in the eye. "You sit. You look like you shouldn't get riled up anyway." She said, softly pointing to an open chair that Danny just emptied so he could present what he said. "Fire away Messer"

" 'lright, Detective Monroe and I processed the trace evidence with the help of Adam Ross. What we found was blue powder ink with traces of military grade C-4, traces of hardened clay also with traces of the same C-4, the skin we found underneath the fingernails of our last victim matched the suspect Agent Fischer came up with an hour ago. So it is our belief that all three of our victims were killed by the same person."

Angell shook her head at the news knowing that somewhere as they were huddled here someone was aiming at hurting New York again. As soon as Danny stepped back the FBI agent stood up, nodding to Melanie that he was to take over. "Starting two weeks ago, a series of murders aimed at Marines that had just served in Iraq took place, each series with two dead marines and a dead female. It seems that this UNSUB is aiming at trying to kill his comrades that were supposed to back him. However it is the belief of my team that this man does not know who exactly he is looking for, thinking first they were in DC then realizing the people he wanted travelled to New York instead." Agent Hotchner said, meeting everyone's eyes. "We think something tragic happened in Iraq that made him turn from an honorable marine to one who wanted to hurt his country. It might be something an agency did to some kind of political change that he didn't agree. He was hunting down these people because in his mind they stood in his way of his ultimate goal. To hurt the country that caused him so much grief. What we are looking for is a trained and seasoned Marine sergeant who is specifically trained in combat and precise sniper shooting. This UNSUB is dangerous and volatile."

"Thank Hotch. Meg you have anything to add since you have more information than anyone else seems to." Fischer asked, looking straight at the exact replica of her. The obviously pregnant stood up where she was.

"I first heard about this terrorist over the grapevine four months ago, when an explosion rocked a convoy in the green light district in Iraq. It seemed to me that to have a bomb in that area seemed suspicious so I had intelligence agents look into it." She stopped when she saw the obvious distress on the NCIS agent's face. Her eyes turn from ice to concern when she saw her twin shaking. "What, Mel?"

"I was in that convoy, Meg. Ten marines died to protect me that day, but I still ended up with life threatening injuries. Are you telling me that explosion is related to this?" Melanie asked softly as Agent Hotchner stood up to help Melanie stand. Angell raised another eyebrow wondering why this person was so affected by that statement then noticing a spark of jealously in Flack's eye when the BAU agent wrapped his arms around the red head.

"That explosion was aimed at a specific vehicle, and apparently they missed the vehicle they aimed at. We think it was this guy who somehow got into the US under the radar, possibly because he was shipped back home with his unit. Up until now I never heard this man's name." Agent Flack replied, her hand absently rubbing her pregnant belly. "Mel, I need to know, what vehicle were you in?"

The other looked at her in the eye. "There were five vehicles in our convoy. Mine was the second one, it was severely damaged, but not like the third one which was basically incinerated. I thought I was lucky." Her sister's eyes told the rest of the room everything. "Are you telling me that my vehicle was the designated target?"

"I'm sorry Mel. I didn't know, we thought that the bomber was aiming at someone specific with inside information." Fischer looked away from her sister pushing away the arms encircling her. "Why the hell didn't you contact me, Melanie? Do you know what the hell the rest of us have gone through not knowing what happened to you?"

"Like you would even care Meghan. You care too much about your precious reputation to even care about your twin sister. I didn't want to bother you, until now with everyone now telling me that my specific vehicle was targeted." Melanie replied, her head shaking. "Why the hell did NCIS not tell me about this development after I returned?"

"It was the director's decision, Agent Fischer. I had no say, you were the agent in charge over there and it was classified."The older man who obviously ran the office spoke up. "We decided that it might cause you more anxiety knowing that it might have been aimed at you."

Before Melanie could reply, Mac spoke up. "Look we all care about your safety. Now the city's safety is at stake and I know that you uphold the same philosophy I do. The safety of this city is first. So who would want to target you out there? Anyone you can think of?"

"People loved me some days, and other days they hated me. I have to look at my files closely to see if anyone matches the profile BAU has come up with. At this time, no one in particular comes to mind. Maybe I looked over people when I was investigating them. Who knows, my brain isn't exactly at its best right now." Melanie replied. "Alright here's the deal. Hotch and I will tackle my files, looking for any connections in them to this case. Mac and Stella can you go by the last known address of Elliott Hanley to see if any trace of him is found? Danny, can you and Hawkes head over to Fred Ticker's last known address here in Manhattan, look around and see if anything connects him to this guy? Angell, Monroe can you head over to Kyle Houle's place and see what you can find and talk to his parents? Last but not least, Flack can you and Flack over there go to Heidi's parents and see how she is connected to all of this?"

Everyone nodded, as people started to get up. Lindsay came over to Angell, staying to the side as everyone filed out. "You ready?" she asked, as they stepped out in the hallway.

"As ready as can be. Why do you think Fischer is staying here?" Angell asked, looking back to the four people left in the office.

"She's probably dealing with a ton of stress right now. Finding this out and staying here probably ensures her safety in this building. Our job is to find out how everything else is connected." Lindsay replied, as they stepped into the elevator.

Angell sighed. "I just wish I knew more. It seems that her and Don have a history." She said, as Lindsay chuckled.

"Ask him when this is all over. He'll probably tell you then. What I'm really wondering is how the hell her sister is a Flack." Her friend replied. "That was most certainly interesting."

"You read my mind Monroe. I have no idea, we'll have to ask someone who knows." Jess said, as they exited the building into the chilly morning air. She took a deep breath inhaling the air she learned to love.

"Look, Don is a good man. It's obvious those two have a history but it seems to me that he cares about you. And soon enough he'll open up to you but for now settle for solving this." Lindsay said, as they stopped. "Just believe in him."

Jessica Angell took a deep breathe again, knowing that Lindsay may be right. However deep down she knew she had a fight ahead of her, both physically and emotionally. All she had to do was keep her head on straight.

Truth be told, that was going to be difficult, especially with Melanie Fischer in the picture. She had a feeling it was going to be a long week. One very long week.

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**Hope it was ok. This case is almost over. More action packed chapter to come. it is time for me to go to bed. possible update tomorrow!**


	8. Everything You Want

**A nice Christmas present for my readers. I had slight writers block but ta da... it went away. I'll have a Christmas story for CSI:NY up in a bit. Gotta wrap presents and such.... **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CSI:NY characters or Aaron Hotchner. I do however own Melanie Fischer and Meghan Flack. **

**But you'll just sit tight  
And watch it unwind  
It's only what you're asking for  
And you'll be just fine  
With all of your time  
It's only what you're waiting for**

**Out of the island  
Into the highway  
Past the places where you might have turned  
You never did notice  
But you still hide away  
The anger of angels who won't return**

**I am everything you want  
I am everything you need  
I am everything inside of you  
That you wish you could be  
I say all the right things  
At exactly the right time  
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why  
And I don't know why  
Why  
I don't know**

**~Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon**

**______________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Once everyone got their orders, each one started to file out of the room, two by two, first being Mac and Stella who nodded their words of encouragement to Melanie as they left. The rest of the team followed almost immediately as Mel watched Jessica Angell leave with a quizzical yet determined look. Soon there was four of them left in the room, Mel, her sister Meg, Don and Hotch, who now all stared at each other wearingly, trying to gauge each others' emotions. Melanie knew that having her sister on the case made things even more complicated than it was working with Don, and thinking that she sighed.

The red head turned, only to face the reflection she always longed to get rid of. Thank goodness for not being identical to a tee, with Melanie inheriting her mother's genes of red hair and blue eyes, whereas her sister had their father's coloring, chocolate brown hair and green eyes. Even though the two had the exact body frame and face, their personalities were like night and day, colliding every second they got. Meghan has always been the goody two shoes, class president straight A student where Melanie was the tomboy, wild child and infamous street fighter, who hung out with the Flacks on a constant basis. However, Melanie always had a steady man throughout high school, Don Flack Jr while Meghan went from guy to guy, hating the Flack's in everyway possible, thinking she was too good for them. So when her sister started dating Don's older brother by 4 years Kevin, she was ultimately surprised, because in all truthfulness she always thought Meg would go for a rich businessman, not a mere firefighter.

Then there she was standing in front of her, happily married and pregnant with her first child, while she stood there alone and living alone in her own office. Oh how she wanted to punch her sister, for flaunting the fact Mel ran away from the best thing that ever happened to her. However, she decided to be civil toward her pregnant sister who was to give her a niece or nephew. "So, sis, how far along are you?" Melanie asked, looking straight at her sister.

Meg raised a surprised eyebrow at Mel's question as she placed a loving hand on her belly. "Six months." The brunette said simply as Melanie nodded, feeling a little guilty at not being in her sister's life more and here she was carrying a child, something Meg was terrified at having. She was after all her twin, someone who despite everything that has happened could still read her mind in a second and sense when she was in danger.

Don was about to say something when Melanie stopped him. "Congratulations, Meg. Am I going to get a niece or nephew? Because you know I need to coordinate with Patty on colors and…" Mel said, when her hormonal twin crushed her in a bear hug. They held each other for awhile when all of a sudden a kick hit Mel in the ribs and she backed up realizing that her niece or nephew just kicked and she felt it.

"A niece, Mel. Amber Rose Flack, due around our birthday in April." Meg replied, as the men stood their reveling in the moment that was just had, knowing that it would turn into a fight soon enough. Melanie smiled slightly, happy for her sister for once. Meg returned the smile, grabbing the trench coat she discarded when she sat down walking toward the door. She stopped before she exited turning toward Melanie. "I'm glad your back, Melanie. Come on Flack we have a terrorist to catch."

Mel's mouth opened to reply when the two people she hurt the most exited the room, leaving her and Agent Aaron Hotchner. Hotch managed to give Melanie a minute to digest what had happened within the last ten minutes as he gathered up all the information that was given to them about the UNSUB. Mel took a deep breath, expelling it slowly.

"It's always hard to come back home after such a long time, Melanie." Hotch said, as Melanie turned to face him. Aaron Hotchner had always been a best friend of hers, someone she leaned on constantly after everything went down the drain with Don. She knew the FBI profiler had a thing for her but never acted on because he was married.

"I know, Hotch. It's just I missed so much, running away maybe wasn't the best idea." Melanie said, walking out the door to her office, feeling that Hotch was right behind her.

"We can't concentrate on that right now, Mel. We need to delve deep into your memories back there figuring out how much you remember about the explosion." Hotch said, as they stepped into Melanie's office. She leaned heavily against the wall next to the window as she looked down to the busy street below. "You still have nightmares about it don't you?"

"Stop profiling me, Hotch. It's against our rules." Melanie replied, a smile on her lips. Hotch stepped forward, tipping her head to meet his deep brown eyes.

"I can't help but notice how tired and agitated you are. I know you too well from our years of working together, which is why we need to do this. To help you recover emotionally from that incident." Hotch said, as Melanie got lost in the eyes of the person who understood why she ran away. She turned away, only to feel that strong hand on her shoulder.

"I only remember bits and parts of it. I remember waking up that day, having promised the guys to go out on patrol with them so I could see what they went through everyday. I remember hearing a boom that I immediately associated with a bomb, and looking back only to see the armored vehicle behind us explode. My first instinct was to get out and try to get everyone out of the way when the concussion wave hit our truck making us fly. I remember feeling the shrapnel enter my body, and I'm lying there on the ground." Melanie didn't realize she started shaking until Aaron wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his muscular chest. He rubbed her head, allowing her to relax as she snaked her arms around his waist.

"Listen." Hotch began, his mouth in her red hair, "We'll dig up all your files from Iraq and work on this together. You're not alone in this Mel, we have the entire city on alert. We will find this guy and we can move on from here."

The red head pulled away, looking at Hotch. "Business first, pleasure later?" She asked, noticing the slight twinkle in his eye.

"Business first. Play later." Hotch teased, as Melanie's now relaxed body headed toward her desk. He stood there as she logged into her computer. "Now what is your profile on this UNSUB?"

Melanie shook her head. "I may be an expert but this one stumps me. If he knows who exactly he has to meet up with to get away with this, why kill those Marines in DC? From the manifest I received from Iraq, the three victims arrived in New York days before me. Their credit cards show nothing more than charges here in the city, so he had to know they were here. This UNSUB is curious and playing something out in his head. He thinks that these people betrayed him, maybe from not killing whom he wanted killed."

Hotch nodded, now sitting in the chair that Don has sat in just a mere hour before. "Your murders are exactly like the ones in DC. One high caliber gunshot wound to the chest, a stabbing and a strangulation, and from what everything tells me, the bullets match. The only difference is the UNSUB left the traces behind this time. He had to know exactly who he was after, maybe because they weren't back yet he targeted these recently on leave Marines. Maybe they had a connection to them somewhere in Iraq."

Melanie shook her head in response. "Gibbs looked into that aspect. Each one of those marines was from different units, never once interacted with each other, let alone with Elliott Hanley. Something bugs me about him, like I know…" Her eyes bulged as she reached around to her suitcases that still stood there. She unzipped the top one, taking out a file putting it on her desk. "This is the case file investigating the explosion I was in. While I was recovering in Berlin, I looked over everything trying to piece it all together. Many nights of insomnia led to me realizing the bomb has traces of military C-4, traced back our Marines there in Iraq. And guess who was in the vehicle ahead of mine when someone decided they wanted to blow me up? Lance Corporal Elliott Hanley."

"I see your sarcasm hasn't wavered one bit." Hotch said, dryly as she passed him the case file. He noticed the ten names of the dead marines, and ten others that had minor injuries. He recognized six of the names, his marines. "Mel…I think I know why he killed those Marine in DC. Look, see here, the ones in the back car and front car. They suffered minor injuries, and now they're dead."

"Definitely not a coincidence, he definitely knew these people. Now my question is, the men in my car and the one that was blow up were in my unit but others I knew nothing on. Why target those two?" Melanie asked, looking over the rest of the file she had. Her head started to hurt as she thought long and hard about the connections. "I don't get it, goddammit. I just don't get it."

Melanie sighed heavily after she let out her frustration, as Hotch remained quiet. She turned her emotions inward as the two agents continued to read her files intensely trying to figure out any connection between all the murders. Then she felt the eyes of the BAU profiler on her, knowing he was trying to profile her. Again.

"What?"she asked, her hands gripping the case file she had. Hotch shook his head, with a slight smile on his face.

"You seem distant, like there is something else on your mind." Hotch replied, as Melanie glared at him. "Just wondering why, that's all."

The red head rolled her eyes, knowing Hotch was trying to psychoanalyze her behind that tough exterior. Mel knew it had always been difficult for outsiders to read her emotions, as she kept bottled up inside of her, but Hotch was a top notch profiler so Melanie knew she could not hide anything from him. So she decided to let someone into the tumulus mind of hers, and instead of her opening up to Sam or Don, she let Hotch in.

"It's difficult to work with the person whose shadow you've been in for years, to live under the impression that you will never be good enough to live up to my sister's expectations. Meg always wanted to be better than me, prove to our family and friend that she wasn't screw up like me." Mel sighed, her chin rested upon her hands. "Sometimes I wonder how we can be related."

As she said that, Hotch uncharacteristically reach out to stroke her cheek softly. She leaned into it as her eyes finally met his. "You are not in her shadow anymore. Look at where you are now, Melanie, the deputy director of the NCIS New York Office, one of the agents looked at in time take over the agency and one of the most respected federal agents in the country. Meghan on the other hand hasn't moved up the ladder like you have, and she does not have the repo ire and respect you do. She may be your older sister but you are no longer the screw up. So there is no reason why you of all people Melanie, should live in the shadow of a person who should be proud of you." Hotch said, pushing a stray strand of red hair out of her face.

She kept looking into the deep brown eyes, as the older man continued to caress her cheek. " I hope you really mean that, Aaron." Melanie replied, as his lips pressed on hers softly. She melted into the kiss, immediately feeling a sense of warmth she hadn't felt in 4 and half years. Hotch pulled away, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it." Hotch said, as Mel smiled at him.

"We're gonna talk about what just happened right?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face. "I mean after we catch the psycho that wants to blow up New York of course."

"I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't want something to come out of this, Melanie. I've wanted you for so long, and I hope you just ready to start over. With me." Hotch said, as Mel smiled hugely. It had been awhile since someone had wanted her and her faults, and even though she knew she loved Don, she might as well explore other options and see what other fish are in the sea. Why not start with Aaron Hotchner?

"Later Hotch. Case first." Melanie replied, stroking his cheek gently. "But don't think I'm blowing you off. I just want this off my chest before we get into anything."

The older man smiled back. "I know." He said simply grabbing a case file in front of him. Melanie shook her head scouring the page she had in front of her for the umpteenth time for the day. Suddenly her Blackberry rang, startling her back into reality. She looked at the caller id quizzically and picked it up.

"Mac, that was quick. What's up?" Mel asked, as Hotch lifted his head from his file. Her eyes widened at what Mac said on the other line, as she put the phone between her cheek and shoulder, opening her drawer and grabbing her gun, putting it on her belt. The FBI agent caught on putting down his file, getting up. She ended the phone call with a "We'll be right there Mac." as she hung up putting the cell phone next to her gun and badge.

Melanie looked to Hotch who looked ready to pounce. "Guess what? Our UNSUB isn't as smart as we thought." She said, grabbing her coat putting in on to face the fierce cold outside.

"Now why do you say that?"Hotch asked, as they walked out of her office toward the elevator.

"Because the bastard was at his apartment, working on some bombs. Mac noticed lights on, called for back up and stormed in on the guy." Melanie said, pushing the down button repeatedly causing Hotch to grab her hand away caressing it. "Mac is waiting for me and Flack to get there to do the interrogation. Hanley obviously recognized Mac as a former Marine and shut up as soon as they got to the precinct. He thinks Flack and I will have better luck."

Melanie and Hotch stepped into the elevator when Hotch looked at her square in the eye. "What else aren't you telling me?" he asked, as her eyes averted from his.

She sighed in defeat, not being able to keep the obvious bad news from him. "He's already placed three bombs around the city, disguised as everyday things." She said, as the elevator seemed to take forever to get to the ground floor. "And they are set to go off in two hours."

"Ah. That's why you're hurrying." Hotch replied, as the elevator opened to reveal Meghan Flack waiting for the elevator. The brunette nodded as the two got off.

"I heard Mac and Bonasera got the guy." Meg said, as Mel stopped for a second looking at her sister speechless. "I mean that's good right. Justice for those marines. Right?"

Mel shook her head. "Nope, the guy set three bombs around the city. Bastard wants to make everyone live in fear." She said bitterly as Meghan stepped into the now empty elevator. She turned around as the door closed, knowing that somehow her sister and niece would be in grave danger.

Which meant she needed to get the locations of out the psycho marine and fast.

But for now all she could hope was that they found those bombs in time and saved innocent people from reliving the horrifying images of 9/11.

"We'll find them." Hotch said, as they rushed out in the cold, frigid air. Melanie turned for a second looking the agent in the eye.

She sighed heavily. "I sure hope so."

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**I know most of you hate me at this moment, but as the story progresses you'll see how I get them together... no worries. Cuz I am so not a Flack/Angell kinda girl!**

**Merry Christmas everyone!  
**


	9. Stolen Away

**Kinda short update but its the holidays what do you expect. Boyfriend is calling. Read and Review!**

**Again disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters and Agent Aaron Hotchner. I do however own the now enemy Elliot Hanley and Melanie Fischer.  
**

**Hello again  
Seem like forever between no****w and then  
You look the same  
I mean you look different but you haven't changed**

Funny to think how the time gets away  
Funny how you take me right back again  
Stole me away  
First time I saw you, you did me that way  
What should I say?  
I saw you laughin' and I was afraid that I'd get in the way

I did not think I would see you again  
So how have you been?  
Do you remember, lose everything

**Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd - Dave Matthews Bands**

Flack stood waiting outside the interrogation room, with Mac and Stella, as they anxiously awaited Melanie. He had almost been to his destination when a call from Stella came through, stating the bastard was stupid enough to build bombs in his own apartment and they had subdued him enough to bring him down to the precinct.

The call was welcome due to the fact of the unbearable silence that plagued him and his sister in law as they sat in the car to go to Heidi Young's parents to deliver bad news and figure out what she was doing with the disturbed military personnel. They never got to their destination because Mac was faster than he was. So he drove Meghan back to her office and sped toward his building so he could meet the bastard that tried to blow Melanie up but also scare the entire city into oblivion.

High heels clicking on the floor startled him out of his thoughts as he saw Agent Hotchner and Melanie walking toward them, talking softly to each other as they noticed they approached their destination, stopping as they blushed furiously at being caught. Flack couldn't help but feel jealous at the sight of the two of them together, even though he had a current girlfriend. But he couldn't get the thought of Mel being his and only his out of his mind. She deserved to be happy and if Hotch did, then be it.

"What do we have Mac?" Melanie asked, as the former Marine moved next to her, as they stared at the struggling, angry suspect.

"A stupid ass, who wants to blow up New York because of something that happened to him when he was a wee one. Like I care."Flack plainly stated, as Mac and Mel rolled their eyes.

"I of course had to call for back up and he resisted a little bit, stating he already set three bombs places that people would get hurt badly." Mac said, his arms crossed. He looked at the two federal agents, who were sitting there looking intensely at the suspect. "He also muttered something about people who deserve to be hurt badly. After that comment he shut up, didn't even mutter an insult or anything once he looked me up and down."

"That last comment is what bothers me the most. He could mean anyone, police, firemen, federal agencies, buses, subways, who knows." Hotch said, looking at the ever so thoughtful Melanie. She turned around only to see everyone looking at her.

"What?" she asked, as she moved toward the door to the interrogation room.

"What is going through that constantly running head of yours?" Mac asked, as she smiled evilly.

"You're about to find out." She replied, waving for Don to join her. He sighed, following her into the interrogation room where he was immediately met with a death stare. Mel stepped back to let Flack start interrogating on the suspect.

"So Elliott, care to tell why the hell you want to blow up New York City?" Flack asked, sitting on the metal table in front of Hanley. The former Marine just stared angrily at Flack, his mouth set in a straight line. "Apparently not."

The suspect followed Flack's eyes to Melanie standing the corner of the room. "You don't wanna ever try Marine. She's more deadly than she looks." Flack said, nodding to the five foot four NCIS agent. He noticed a change in the look that Hanley gave Melanie, tipping him off that he somehow knew her. "You know her, Hanley? Cuz she most certainly does not remember you. So tell me where the bombs are or else she interrogates you and let me tell you its not a pretty sight."

As soon as Flack said his last statement, Hanley stood up angrily, his handcuffed hand pointing directly at Melanie. "You bitch! You should remember me, you investigated me." He said, as his foot kicked the table toward Flack, who stood up when he did hand on his gun. "Me. For rape of an army officer that I did not commit. My fellows didn't want anything to do with me because of you."

Flack looked at her in the corner, calmly leaning against the wall, arms crossed with one leg against it, while this maniac raged and ranted toward her. His protective nature got the best of him as he roughly reached out and pushed Hanley back down in his chair. "That was uncalled for, Lance Corporal. It wasn't your turn to speak yet." Flack said, sitting back on the table hand still on the Marine's shoulder. "You try that again I'll bust your head in. Understand me?"

Hanley's glowering eyes answered him. "Good. Glad we have an understanding." Flack replied as he heard Melanie approach the table and stood next to his knee. "Now where were we?"

"I know he was about to tell us where he placed the bombs." Mel said, pushing Flack's knee away so she could place both of her hands on the table so she could look the bomber straight in the eye. "Where are the bombs Elliott?"

The former Marine sat there; arms crossed staring back at Melanie not saying a thing. Flack noticed a change in Melanie's stature as he saw her blue eyes smolder at the offender in front of her. "You tried to kill me Lance Corporal. Don't think I haven't forgotten about that. I have enough evidence from your apartment to link you to the bombing that almost killed me. Also right now my team is going over that shabby place of yours like a fine toothed comb and I know that by now they have the locations of those bombs." Melanie said, as Flack stood up knowing the temper of her was about to show. He waited for the reaction from Hanley, who at this point looked like he was about to go berserk.

The red head shoved the table hard against the stomach of the suspect, causing him to gasp for breath. "Where the hell are those bombs, Lance Corporal?" Mel said angrily, as the heavy breathing of Hanley answered her. "You're going to get much worse than what I just did to you if you don't tell me where they are!"

She started to round the table about to lean into the suspect when Hanley spoke. "You bitch! Why should I tell you? You were supposed to die! And all of those people I killed, I was aiming at them." Hanley yelled, pulling away from the NCIS agent. "The bombs here are aimed to hurt, hurt those who hurt me. So have fun looking for them, because soon you will be no more."

Flack was afraid the fragile part of Melanie was going to burst and go berserk on the guy; instead she backed away from the raving maniac in front of her toward the door. Her blue eyes met his, full of anguish and determination, as she looked for answers within his soul. They heard a knock at the door when Mac stuck his head in.

"You better come hear this." Mac said, as Flack nodded, looking at the restrained suspect, as Mel walked away from the person they both wanted to give a beating too. He looked down at Mel strangely.

"Still got anger management issues, Fischer?" Flack asked, as her cold blue eyes looked at him.

"I only have anger issues with people who try to kill me and those I love." She replied, simply as they leaned against the wall in his precinct waiting for Mac to speak. "Mac, what do you have to get this bastard?"

"The locations of the bombs." Mac said, as Mel's head shot up from the ground she was looking at. "We did some research from the evidence gathered and found out the grudges he may have. One of course is against you; another is against the NYPD and another against his high school in Brooklyn."

"How does that connect to the bombs, Mac?" Flack asked as the elder man put a hand up to silence any other comments the others might have.

"Three buildings came up in his apartment. The Federal Building, where he knew Melanie could and would be working; this building that put his brother in jail 7 years ago…" Mac said when Melanie interrupted him.

"And his actual high school which football team used and abused him." Melanie replied, as everyone turned to look at her. "It was in his file. Photographic memory remember."

Everyone remained quiet for a few minutes when Mel interrupted again. "What are we waiting for? We have an hour and half to find those bombs, diffuse them and make sure the media does not get wind of these situations." She said, looking at Mac straight in the eye. "I have two years in the bomb squad Mac. Did you call Bornelli and Ford?"

"Bornelli's team on the way to his high school, we figured the bomb would be placed in the locker room in the gym. Ford's is heading over to your building, figuring it must be in the basement because he wouldn't have any access to the higher floors." Mac replied, as Melanie nodded.

"I guess its up to us to figure out where that damn explosive is in this building correct?" Mel asked, looking at Hotch.

The older FBI agent nodded. "I'm getting your sister, Mel. She won't be in that building. I'll protect her. Once we get out, where should I take her?"

"My parents' house in Queens." Flack answered simply as Hotch nodded and left in a hurry. He looked back at the angry suspect still in custody. "What about him?"

"Keep him here. He's freaking out, knowing that he wasn't supposed to be in this building. Let the bastard suffer." Mel said, looking at Flack.

"What?"

"You coming or not?" she asked, as Flack placed his hands up in surrender.

"Truthfully, Mel if I want to be blown up again, I'll do it myself thank you very much." Flack replied, getting a chuckle out of the head of the crime lab.

"Have it your way Flack." Melanie replied, nodding to Mac. "Make him sweat some more, will yah? He deserves it."

She started to walk away toward the elevator when Flack yelled. "The things I do for you Fischer. Babysit your suspect and trying to not to get blown up. You owe me big!" He yelled, as her melodic laughter rang out, a sound he hadn't heard in years.

"You love it and you know it." She replied as she disappeared into the elevator with Mac. He looked at the now sweating and worried suspect in the interrogation room. Flack smiled as his hand grabbed the doorknob, knowing that payback was always the best.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Short but sweet, no worries more to come as the plot bunnies increase. Review!!!**


	10. I Learned That From You

**A big long update for you. Flack and Melanie's past is revealed and secret plot bunny that came up recently. Hope you enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of CSI:NY characters. I do however own Melanie Fischer. She is my own creation.**

**Thank for the reviews lately. Let me know what else you want! Also rated strong T for language from here on out!  
**

**One night while the whole world was turning  
I left you a note  
And I told you that I'd always miss you  
Then I let you go  
I'm living outside of some town I ain't heard of  
And I think about the boy I knew  
I didn' t know you could fall out of love  
I learned that from you**

And I learned how to kiss on a ferris wheel  
And I made wishes at wishing wells  
And I fell into that fairytale too  
And I know that love ain't so easy  
But we tried, didn't we baby  
It's alright  
Some dreams weren't meant to come true  
I learned that from you

I remember the windows rolled down  
And the wind..

**I Learned That From You ~ Sara Evans  
**

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once Melanie got into the elevator with Mac, she leaned her head against the wall, breathing in and out slowly. Her mind was in turmoil, knowing that it was up to her and Mac's team to find the bomb and diffuse it put her under tremendous pressure and to add to it all, her sister and her best friends were in the buildings that had bombs in it.

"You know, it's ok to be scared." Mac said softly, as Mel turned her head slightly to look at her former boss, smiling slightly.

"Scared isn't a word in my vocabulary, you know that Mac." She replied as he shook his head. His hand touched her shoulder lightly, squeezing it, letting her know that he still cared.

"But you are." Mel finally turned around to meet Mac's blue eyes.

"Of course I am. I have every right to be but I cannot let everyone show that I am. I'm a strong person, dammit. And that bastard cannot scare me whatsoever." Mel declared as the elevator dinged to signal they were on the floor they wanted to be. The floor was mainly quiet as both the teams of the bomb squad were out securing the other bombs Hanley placed, but Mel and Mac knew exactly where they were going. They headed toward the equipment room that held the bomb suits that the two were going to wear to diffuse the bomb. As they suited up and made sure their microphones and ear pieces were working, Mel silently contemplated the task ahead. She had a feeling the bomb was in the lobby or the bullpen as they were open to the public who needed a safe haven from the bitter cold outside.

"Where do you want to start?" Mac asked, in her ear.

"Lobby." Melanie replied. "You think Danny and Hawkes followed orders and moved everyone to the floor above?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

"It's Danny. He usually has something up his sleeve." Mac chuckled, knowing she was right.

"Alright, let's go." Mac said, grabbing the kit needed to help them disable the bomb. The two left in the bulky suits, walking heavily toward the elevators, breathing somewhat erratically. The elevator opened up and the two waddled in it. They both sighed as they descended upon the ground floor of the building where they both suspected Hanley placed the bomb. As soon as they arrived at the floor, they immediately noticed the quietness of the lobby and as the doors opened they saw Danny and Hawkes standing there, grimly but at the same time confident. They pointed to a corner where a briefcase was, then promptly turned and left.

Melanie sighed heavily as she and Mac toddled toward the lone case in the lobby. They knelt down near it and the NCIS agent immediately knew the bomb was done by an amateur, an amateur named Elliott Hanley. She looked at Mac, who nodded back at her as they carefully snapped the brown case open, revealing a hastily built bomb with C-4 and a digital clock face that read 01:04 on it.

"Well, we found it." Mel stated simply as she and Mac studied the wiring for a few minutes, trying to decide which wires would disable the bomb. She noticed the typical green, yellow, red and black wires tangled together. She fingered the wires carefully tracing them to heir origins, and somehow she knew immediately which wire to cut.

"Green." Mac said, getting out the wire cutter in his kit, handing it to her.

"I have yet to gain you abilities Mac. You were one second faster than me." Melanie said, grabbing the wire cutter as she carefully lifted the green wire away from the rest. "Guess I just have to practice more."

"You always seem to find humor in the most stressful situations." Mac replied, as Melanie steadied her hand to cut the dreaded wire.

"It keeps me sane especially when death has brushed me so many times." Melanie replied as she took in a deep breath. "Here goes everything."

As Mac watched carefully, Melanie took the wire cutter to the green wire as she looked at the time that said 00:59, as it slowly ticked down the minutes, and cut it. She held her breath as she knew immediately that she wasn't dead and hoped the clock would stop counting down.

And it did.

Melanie let out the breath she had been holding. "Thank God." She said, as the other two teams came filing in the door, helmets off. She looked up as she saw the two team Leader, Stan Bornelli and Terry Ford. She carefully unzipped her helmet, breathing in the fresh air. "How the hell did you guys know to come in right then, with no protection?"

The six foot six, two hundred eighty pound Stan Bornelli smiled. "Because we knew that if ours were that easy to disable then you would have no problem doing it within three minutes." He said, as the two CSI's stood up to greet the teams. "For the two of you, that's record timing."

"Well you know how I like setting new records." Melanie replied, as she engulfed in huge hugs from the team leaders. "Look I have a suspect to gloat in front of if you excuse me."

The two nodded and smiled, as Melanie carefully unzipped and stepped out of her suit. "It's good to have you back Fischer." Ford said as she walked away. She turned around to flash them a dazzling smile.

"It's good to be back, even though everyone served me a good welcome home present. A freaking bomb." Melanie replied, as they shook their head smiling. She stepped into the elevator to go relieve Flack of his duties of making Hanley sweat and her turn to arrest him and send him away from New York. Mac entered with her, his helmet in his hand, giving her a proud smile.

"You coming?" she asked, as they elevator travelled up. Mac shook his head. "Going to get out of that horrible thing?"

As the doors opened to the detective bullpen, Mac just stayed waiting for the elevator to stop at the floor he needed. Mel stepped out then looked back. "Thanks for having my back Mac." She said, as she saw him smile and nod. She sighed as she turned back around only to see Jessica Angell, Scagnetti, and tons of new detectives she didn't even know. Things had definitely changed and she would have to get used to it. Melanie saw Flack step out of the interrogation room, his look relieved at the sight of her. She smiled slightly as him, as she saw two NCIS agents come forward from the din that was the detectives ring.

"Go arrest him. Take him to Rikers for now." Melanie said, as they went into interrogation room with Flack, who now had him standing up waiting for the agents. As they escorted him out and by her, he spat at her feet. "Might wanna work on your aim, Marine. That isn't an insult unless your spit actually hits me."

As her agents dragged him away, he continued to glare at her until the elevator closed on him. She sighed shaking her head, noticing Mac and his team coming from the lab, all of them smiling. Melanie moved forward to meet the team as Flack joined them.

"So who is up for some drinks at O'Reilly's?" Danny asked, hopefully. Everyone laughed as Melanie just smiled. "Come on Big Red, what better than to go out and celebrate your return?"

Mel shook her head. "After this day, paperwork is what I have to do, on my first day." She said, as the faces of her old friends dropped. She smiled sadly as she turned around to walk away to go to her office. She didn't want to deal with the pain of coming back to a new atmosphere and face it on her first day. She just wanted it to sink in.

However as she got caught up in her thoughts, she bumped into someone. To just make her day worse, she ran into Jessica Angell, Don's new girlfriend. She looked up to the taller, leaner brunette who dark brown eyes looked curiously at her. "Look, Detective…" Mel started to say when Jess interrupted her.

"Jess. Call me Jess." Angell said, as Mel stood there feeling inadequate to the new girlfriend.

"Jess, I know that you somehow suspect that Don and I have a history but that was over four years ago." Melanie replied as she sidestepped around the detective to get to elevator. "I just don't have…"

"Look you're gonna be part of Mac's team and we're going to working closely together. I would like to get to know you as a person. Not as someone from Don's past." Angell replied, looking directly as Melanie whose eyes found Flack talking with Danny and Mac, talking animatedly. "Whenever you're ready, Melanie."

The red head sighed, knowing the other female detective was right. It was time to get to know everyone again but Melanie knew she wasn't quite ready to revisit old memories. "In time, Jess. I'll let him tell you why you and I will have to get along." Melanie replied, as Angell nodded walking away from but toward Flack, who met Mel's eyes for one second, instantly reading her. She turned around to enter the elevator and walk away from the memories that haunted her.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twenty minutes later, after stopping by Meg's office quickly to make sure she was ok, she found herself in her new office alone. Shortly after leaving the NYPD crime lab, she got a call from Hotch stating that Strauss wanted him back in DC right away as another high profile case awaited him and his team. He told her that after this case, he would be back up to make things right. As they spoke when she walked in the brisk cold of the afternoon, she looked around at the city she had desperately missed. Somehow in the back of her mind she knew coming back was the right thing to do and she had many people to visit in the coming days.

As she finished up her reports to give to Nick, she heard a knock at her door. "Come in." she yelled as she saw Stella stick her head in the door.

"Up for company?" The Greek detective asked, as Melanie waved her in. The two old friends smiled at each other as Stella pulled up the comfortable suede chair everyone seemed to love.

"It's good to see you Stel. What's up?" Melanie said, pushing away the paperwork that seemed to plague her. Her role model and former colleague looked at her seriously.

"Is there a reason why you won't go out with us? Especially after being away for so long?" Stella said bluntly.

"Memories are difficult to forget, and making amends is makes it even more difficult." Melanie said simply as Stella nodded.

"You know I heard Mac say once that no matter how good memories are, some memories are better to be forgotten." Stella said, as Melanie leaned back in her office chair. She knew Stella was right but she wasn't ready to face everyone outside of work yet. She needed to be alone in her thoughts.

"I know. Claire was a wonderful woman and it was a terrible loss for all of us. He knows about letting go more than anyone else. I however still have to deal with after effects of me leaving. I can't tonight Stella." Melanie replied as her friend nodded sadly getting up.

"Well if you change your mind, you know where we'll be." Stella said as she walked out her door. Mel leaned forward, rubbing her temples. Her mind was going a mile a minute and her head finally started to hurt after such a long day. Melanie got up, knowing where the memories and worries would go away.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As soon as Flack saw Angell and Melanie talking, he knew he had to explain everything to his girlfriend. She deserved a night out with just him, and with the day they had, he knew tonight would be perfect, because he knew neither of them were on call. So when Jess headed toward him, a slight smile on her beautiful face, he smiled back.

"So Mel saved the day." Jess said, as Don leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. She looked up surprised at his sign of affection.

"So how about a date night? Just the two of us?" Flack asked, as he noticed Chief of Detectives Sinclair and the new Deputy Inspector Whitmore standing in the bullpen, frowns on their faces. He sighed, letting go of his girlfriend to go talk to the two people he disliked the most.

"Detective Flack, what exactly happened today?" Sinclair asked, as the other stood there arms crossed.

He stared both of them down because he was not in the mood for a showdown or shouting matches. "Whatever you need, the deputy director of the New York NCIS office will have all the paperwork for you." Flack said, looking at both of them. "Any questions, ask her. Tomorrow. I am off and will be for the next 24 hours. I am not on call and I am going to spend some quality time with my girlfriend and family. Do you understand?"

Both of the people in front of them stood there speechless. "I'm glad we understand each other. Good day to both of you." Flack said, walking toward the exit of the bullpen as he heard Jess's footsteps behind.

"They looked pissed. What the hell did you say to them?"Jess asked as they got onto the elevator. Flack just smiled.

"I basically told them to fuck off." He said, as they got to the ground floor. They were about to go their separate ways when he stopped her. "What time do you want me to pick you up? The team is going to be at O'Reilly's at nine, and I promised I would join them."

Her brown eyes stared into his for a minute. "Six thirty ok for you?" Flack nodded, as she placed a quick kiss on his lips. "See you then Detective."

Flack smiled as he watched her walk away. Maybe just maybe she would change his outlook on women. Tonight would tell that.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

At six twenty eight, Flack arrived at Jess's front door, a bouquet of lilies, orchids and roses in hand, ready for his first real date with his girlfriend. He took a deep breath and knocked, as he heard some rustling on the other side as Jess went to go open the front door.

He planned on taking her to a nice Italian restaurant right down the street from her apartment so he dressed for the occasion, in a nice pair of khakis, a blue striped button down shirt the same color as his eyes and his infamous leather jacket. He caught his breath when he saw Jess as she opened the door. Her brown up was half up half down, the latter curled around her shoulders. She wore a long sleeved green wraparound dress that had a deep v neck stopping right in-between her cleavage, and knee high black leather boots. Her black winter coat hung next to door ready to be put on as a moment's notice.

"These are for you." Flack said, handing her the bouquet. Her eyes widened as she noticed the exotic choice of flowers with in the plastic.

"Thank you. It's gorgeous." Jess replied, as he stepped into her one bedroom apartment. "Let me go put these in water and then we can go."

Don nodded as she quickly stepped into her kitchen, placing the flowers in a vase and placing them on her dining room table. Once she returned she grabbed her winter coat slipping it on and grabbing a shiny black purse to end the ensemble. Since Melanie had left, he had never seen anyone so beautiful and put together. Jessica Angell reamed of self confidence and inner beauty. She was tough detective that allowed no bullshit at work but outside she was as feminine as any other woman could be.

As they walked toward the restaurant, neither one could bring up the courage to talk. Flack was afraid of the repercussions of telling her his past with Melanie and the reasons why she left. It still was difficult to talk about it and whenever someone brought it up, tears were brought to his eyes.

"Hey you ok?" Jess asked softly as they approached the family owned restaurant that she frequented. He turned to look at her.

"I will be once I get this off my chest. Let's just eat." He replied, holding the door open for her. She ducked under his arms as they approached the hostess. When she looked at Jess, she smiled grabbed two menus and led them to a secluded booth in the back.

"Only for the best customers." The hostess said, as they sat down. She handed them the menus. "Your server will be with you shortly."

"Thanks Annia." Jess said, as the older woman walked away. She then turned to look Don in the eyes. "So spill."

He sighed. He decided to get the most important thing out of the way. So he grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket and opened it to reveal school photo of almost teenage girl with straight jet black hair and sky blue, and was a spitting image of her mother. Jess looked at it quizzically but as she looked closer, her eyes widened. "This is my twelve year old daughter, Sara Hannah Flack. Melanie and I had her when we were 19." He said, simply, looking longingly at the picture. It had been taken at the beginning at the school year and was given to him.

"Why haven't I heard of her before?" Jess asked, as he took out the photo for her to closely examine.

"Because I kept my personal life out of work for the past four years. The only people who know Sara are Mac, Stella, Danny, Hawkes and Sinclair." Don said, as Jess looked up from the picture. "She was a constant presence at the lab when Mel started. Everyone fell in love with her, especially Gerrard and Sinclair."

"Where is she now?" she asked, as their server approached. They ordered their drinks and entrees and he left leaving them to their conversation again.

"I still see her when I can. When I got into homicide, my schedule was hectic and so was Mel's when she joined NCIS. So we entrusted her to Mel's Aunt Edith or Aunt Edie as Sara likes to call her. She lives with her right now. I couldn't handle it after Melanie left."

"Oh." The brunette said, her eyes squinting at the photo. "If you had Sara and you both were constants in her life, why did Melanie leave like she did?"

He took the photo of his daughter, looking at it lovingly. "She had been brought in as a consult on a FBI BAU case 4 and a half years ago. She helped them build a case and when they couldn't find the perp, she came back home not realizing that the guy they were looking for was right in front of them. One morning when she had dropped off Sara at school, she was kidnapped out in broad daylight. I was at work when I got a cal frantic call from Meghan, who said she was pretty sure something bad had happened to Mel."

Jess's eyes widened as their food was brought out to them. They ate their food gingerly as Flack tried to get up the courage to replay the memories that plagued him for the past four years. "What made her leave? I can see she is a strong person, someone that wouldn't be grabbed in daylight. What was it about that kidnapping that caused you to separate?"

"She was pregnant, three months along. She had a difficult pregnancy with Sara so when we found out about the baby we were ecstatic; however she had to take it easy. She worked behind a desk most of the time, unless she was dropping or picking up Sara when it was her turn." Don said, as he shoveled a huge bite of lasagna into his mouth. Jess was picking at her chicken marsala as she digested everything he had said so far.

Jess looked at him urging him on. "The guy beat her and raped her. We managed to find her in two days, after the help from Hotch and his team and of course the entire NYPD was out looking for her." Flack said, tears welling up. Even though it happened over four years ago, it still appeared fresh in his mind. "Despite all our efforts after we had Sara, Mel lost the baby. She blamed herself, sunk into a deep depression, and started fights with me. One night, while Sara was with my parents, we got into a huge fight, where I told her if she wasn't happy with our life and me to leave. A lot of nasty words were said and after she cried saying goodbye to Sara, she left. I know she kept in touch with Sara, but I never heard from her until now."

As soon as he spilled that, the tears he held back were let go. Jess looked at him, surprised at the show of emotion from the usual stoic detective. He lost a child he would never get to know because a bastard kidnapped his fiancée and beat her senseless, but there was no way on this earth that he ever blamed Melanie. It was never her fault, only that bastard he shot dead that fateful summer day.

Jess took a deep breath and placed her hand over his. "I understand why you want to take it slow. Hell I even understand if you don't want to be with me but I accept this and I want you to know that I will stand by you as you heal." She said, as her hand brushed the tears away.

Don smiled. "I told Sinclair and Whitmore that I was taking tomorrow off to spend with you and my family. I know that my daughter does not know her mother is in town and I think its best for me to go over there and spend some time with her." He said, grabbing a napkin to blow his nose.

"I would love to meet this mini me of yours." Jess said, as he balled the dirty napkin and placed it to the side. "Only if you let me, that is."

Don's gaze met hers. "I think it's time for Sara to know that there is someone else in my life. She'll love you." He said, as the server brought their check. He took it, pulled out his credit card and gave it back to the server. "So how about you join me tomorrow and meet Sara and Edith?"

"How could I say no to those eyes?" Jess replied as Don signed the receipt and the two of them got up to leave.

"No one can. How do you think I get all those perps to confess?" he replied, as they stepped out in the darkness and below freezing temperatures.

"I just thought it was your witty and sarcastic sense of humor." Jess retorted as his phone rang. He looked at the caller id, showing it was Danny. "Let me guess, Messer the lab rat?"

"Yep, probably wondering where the hell I am. You wanna come and join in on the festivities?" he said, as they walked hand in hand on the sidewalk.

"Probably not, I have a hot bubble bath and a bed that is calling my name. Just call me when you are ready and we'll going over to see Sara." Jess replied as they approached her apartment building. They stopped as they looked at each other. Don looked down at her, cupping her face in his hands leaning down to give her a soft, tender kiss.

"I will see you tomorrow." He said, pulling away as she entered in the door. As soon as he left, he realized that more than likely Melanie needed a place quickly so she could repair her relationship with her daughter, and he knew exactly what place suited her needs.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Melanie found herself two hours later, sitting at the colorful bar that was O'Reilly's, a bar that held an enormous amount of memories for her. It was where she beat up both Danny and Don for fighting with each other, a night that she had managed to leave her daughter with her grandparents and enjoy a good football game with the guys. It was where she and Stella bonded over some tequila one night and it was where they mourned the loss of Claire Taylor after 9/11. It was where she had told Don she was pregnant with their second child and it was where she went right before she left New York.

She looked at the martini in front of her, now empty after her downing it for the third time. "One more?" Joe, the bartender asked.

Melanie looked at it. "Sex on the beach this time. With Vanilla Vodka." Joe nodded as he set to work at making her next drink.

"I thought you weren't coming tonight." She heard a familiar voice say. She looked over to see Mac sitting on the bar stool next to her.

Mel shrugged as her drink was placed in front of her. "I had to get away from my memories for a little bit."

"Come on, Melanie. Drinking is not the way to go." Mac said, as Melanie sighed looking over her shoulder only to see Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, Stella and Adam sitting at a high top, laughing like there was no care in the world. "They're relieved that the situation didn't turn out bad."

"Where's Don? I thought he would be here too." Melanie said, looking at Mac.

He shrugged. "Danny called him a few minutes ago. He said he had something to do then he would be over. Come on Melanie. You came back, let's start anew. Put the past in the past and let's make new memories."

Her mentor's blue eyes looked into hers. He knew she was right, she came back to a new start, a new life and she had a daughter that desperately needed her mother now. She took a deep breath. "Alright. But let me just say Danny and Stella are going down in pool."

Mac laughed as they got up and wandered toward the table full of her friends. They all looked at her, smiled and engulfed her in a group hug.

"Sit. Sit." Adam said, grabbing another stool from a nearby table, placing it next to him. Melanie laughed at the nervousness of the lab tech and held out her arms for a hug. He looked at her surprised, but gave her a hug in return.

"We wouldn't have done it without you. I already told Stella I wanna clone you." Melanie said, sitting down as everyone's conversation started again. Stella waved down a server and ordered seven shot of Petron while everyone groaned.

"What? It's a celebration!" Stella said, when Melanie laughed remembering the awful hangover that resulted of ten shots of tequila she and the Greek bonded over. When the shots were brought, a bell was heard as the door opened to reveal Don Flack looking around for the gang. He did a double take when he saw Melanie but broke out into a huge smile upon seeing her. She smiled back waving him to the table, as she caught the waiter to get them another shot of Petron.

"Well look who decided to show up after all." Flack said sitting at the end of the table near Mac. As soon as everyone had their shots, Stella raised hers in the air.

"To Melanie and her unexpected but most welcome return." She said, as everyone clinked their shot glasses and down the strong liquor, while some put lime in their mouth afterward.

"Wusses." Melanie said, as Lindsay and Adam took out the lime. "I do not need training wheels. Petron and I are great friends."

Everyone laughed as they sipped on their drinks and beers. The conversation started up again, talking about everything and nothing. As Mel listened intently on some of the conversations, she felt tap on her shoulder. She turned only to see Don standing, with a kid like grin on his face.

"What do you have up your sleeve, Don? That smile is no good and I know it." Melanie asked as Don kept smiling.

"Open your hand." He said, as she did so. Once she did, he dropped a gold key into her palm. She looked down at it quizzically, then back at him.

"And what exactly is this?" she asked, as the ruckus around her quieted down so everyone could listen to their conversation.

"That is the key to your new two bedroom apartment right across from mine." Don replied, as Mel's eyes widened. "Fully renovated, stainless steel appliances, Jacuzzi bathtub, and enough room for you and Sara."

"Don, I don't know what to say." Melanie replied, as everyone's smiled became bigger at the sight.

"Say that you'll sign the papers first thing in the morning, move in and let my daughter live right across from me." Don said, his earnest face staring at hers.

"Thank you." She replied, as she got up and hugged him. His strong arms wrapped around her, squeezing her tightly.

"It's for you and Sara. I may be with someone else but that does not mean I do not care about you." Don whispered in her hair. "We'll figure this out and Sara can have both of us back."

She hugged him tightly and pulled away. "I guess I have to go see her tomorrow and tell her the good news."

"I was planning on it anyway." He replied as she turned around to the rest of her friends.

"Who has a couch I can crash on tonight?"She asked, as everyone looked at each other. "Stella?"

"Sorry, haven't gotten new furniture yet."

"Danny?"

"Lindsay takes up the rest of the room in my apartment."

She looked at Hawkes. "I'm not even going to ask." She then turned to Mac who sighed.

"You can take my spare room." Mac said, his blue eyes twinkling. Mel laughed as Flack and her sat back down at the table.

"Now my next question. Who's gonna help me move?" Melanie asked, as the table erupted into complaints, excuses and exclamations in return.

Melanie smiled, as she realized why she returned.

She missed these crazy people way too much.

And she had a daughter that needs her mother as much as she needs her daughter.

It was time to finally start healing.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**I decided to be nice and have Angell be a nice understanding woman. Now you get to see the relationship between Don and Melanie. And you'll get to meet Sara, Edith and remeet Don's sister Samantha in the next chapter. Now it is time for bed!**


	11. Used to

**My boyfriend is probably mad at me but I needed to get this scene out. The reunion between Melanie and Sara. **

**Disclaimer: I do not any of the CSI:NY character. I do however own Melanie Fischer, Sara Flack and Edith Gillian. **

**You used to talk to me like  
I was the only one around.  
You used to lean on me like  
The only other choice was falling down.  
You used to walk with me like  
We had nowhere we needed to go,  
Nice and slow, to no place in particular.**

We used to have this figured out;  
We used to breathe without a doubt.  
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see.  
We used to have this under control.  
We never thought.  
We used to know.  
At least there's you, and at least there's me.  
Can we get this back?  
Can we get this back to how it used to be?

**Used To ~ Daughtry  
**

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Melanie woke to a humongous hangover, a feeling she hadn't felt in over four years. To add to it, she could hear Mac bustling about in the kitchen, making noises as loud as possible. Or so her head thought so. She rolled over to notice a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water on her bedside table. She smiled as she carefully sat up, not to aggravate the migraine she already had. She grabbed three Tylenol and swallowed them with the half of the water in the glass.

She glanced at the clock beside her bed, noticing it was ten thirty in the morning and carefully got out of bed, grabbing her robe off of the chair in the room. She wrapped it around herself tightly, as the aroma of eggs and pancakes filled her nostrils and immediately her stomach growled. Mel opened her door quietly and padded out to Mac Taylor's kitchen, where he and Stella worked together at making breakfast. She didn't even realize Stella had stayed with Mac the night before as well, which made her wonder if something more was going on between the two of them.

"So exactly how much did I have to drink last night?" Melanie asked, as the two of them jumped, turning around noticing the now awake and hung over Melanie.

"Enough to drink Flack and Danny under the table." Stella replied, as Melanie sat at the table awaiting the infamous hangover food Mac had cooked her time after time after a bad day at work where she drowned it in alcohol. She knew that Sara loved the chocolate chip pancakes Mac made especially when she could to spend the night with Papa Mac.

"Ah, that's why I have this huge headache that threatens to burst my head open." Melanie replied, as Stella placed the scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese on the table. "How bad are Danny and Flack?"

"Hawkes and Lindsay had to carry them out. How they are feeling right now I do not know." Mac replied, placing the steaming hot pile off pancakes right in front of her. Melanie saw the two exchange a look between them as they sat down with her. She immediately stabbed three pancakes with her fork and placed them on her plate as she heard Mac and Stella chuckle lightly.

As she swallowed her first bite of Mac's pancakes in over four years, she noticed the other two in their own world. "So anything you two need to tell me?" Mel asked, as she shoveled another big piece of pancake into her mouth. "Because its obvious there is something going on here."

"She's smart." Mac said, as Stella looked at him wide eyed.

"No really. Obviously you hired her on because of her beautiful looks." Stella replied, as Melanie almost spit out her juice, trying not to laugh. She knew that sooner or later, once Mac's anguish over Claire's death subsided he would find someone else to love and care for, even though she knew no one would replace Claire in the former Marine's heart. If there was someone great for him in this world, it was Stella and it showed.

"Guess I was too drunk to notice that you came home with us Stel. At least I passed the hell out just in case you did the nasty." Melanie said, as the other two choked on their food. She smiled at them as they went on eating their breakfast.

"What are your plans for today?" Stella asked, a few minutes into their silence. Mel swallowed her last bite, chugging down the last bit of orange juice in her glass.

"Well, whenever Flack gets his lazy ass up we're heading over to Edie's and see Sara." Melanie said, as Stella nodded. "Why?"

"Because I have an urge and need to go shopping." Stella replied, as Mac just shook his head. "Hey I need to redecorate this place."

Melanie choked on her own saliva when Stella blurted that out. "Redecorate?" Mel said, when Mac and Stella looked at each other. "God, I missed so damn much. Well if you wanna shop I am so up for it. I have to get stuff for Sara and my place anyway."

"So you're ok with this?" Stella asked, her hand intertwined with Mac's.

"Are you kidding me? I've been waiting for this day since… who knows when. So is there a little blue box in the future too?" Melanie asked, pushing away her plate, leaning back in her chair stretching.

"If there is, there is no way you are finding out. You cannot keep a secret from Stella ever." Mac replied as the Greek CSI slapped him. "It's true. How many times have I walked in on you two discussing your sex lives?"

Mel held her hands up in defense. "Point taken." She replied, as they all got up, grabbing their plates. "You two up for seeing Sara?"

Stella looked at her as if that was a stupid question. "Hey I need some back up here. Plus I think she would love to see everybody." Mel said, as she walked toward the bathroom. "Call Flack and see if Danny wants to come. And to get their asses up."

"Of course madam. I am always at your service." Stella replied, as Mel laughed.

It took Mel a luxurious thirty minutes to take a shower and get dressed, knowing that Flack and Danny would take their sweet ass time getting up and ready. She looked at the piles of suitcases Mac and Stella somehow managed to drag from her office to here, basically stating she was living here until she could get everything out of storage and into her new apartment. Not that she minded, but it would slightly awkward with three of them in the apartment, but the sooner she shopped the sooner she could get her own place and mend her relationships.

Her blackberry rang and saw it was Danny. "Messer! You two ready yet?" Melanie asked, digging through her suitcases for something suitable to wear. She found a pair of hip hugging jeans, and slipped them on as Danny groaned at her loud voice.

"Red, why did we drink so much?" Danny asked, as Mel held her rubber band in between her teeth as she search long and hard for the baby blue chenille sweater she desperately loved in the winter time.

"You challenged me Messer. Not my fault you couldn't keep up." Mel replied, as she pulled on a long sleeved plain shirt. "Is Flack in the same condition?"

"Naw, to excited about seeing Sara. Apparently Christmas isn't over yet in this apartment, he gathering thing after thing to give her. Clothes, music… posters." Danny replied, as Melanie laughed knowing her daughter enjoyed the presents she got on a constant basis from Don.

"Ah ha! Found it" she exclaimed, unearthing the warm sweater under camouflage cargo pants in one of her suitcases. She slipped it on after rubbing her hands across the soft fabric. "Yeah well she's gonna be showered with new things cuz her Ma got her a few things too."

Danny laughed. "We'll be ready in ten minutes. Mac and Stella coming too?"

"Yeah, they wouldn't miss seeing Sara for the world." Melanie replied, as she moved the phone to between her cheek and right shoulder as she pulled on her black Ugg boots she got on EBay before she left. "Ok see you in ten."

As she hung up she looked at the nightstand where she left her Tiffany's watch and silver cross on before she got in her shower. She smiled sadly remembering the nervousness Flack demonstrated after giving her the watch after Sara turned three. He had saved up for years to give her something for Mother's Day and she had worn that watch ever since. Her silver cross always hung around her neck, reminding her that her mother would always be watching over her. As she gingerly touched them, she placed them in their right place.

Mel grabbed her black wool coat and purse before opening the bedroom door. She draped her coat over her arm as she looked around to corner to see if Mac and Stella had emerged from their bedroom. Noticing they hadn't, she made herself at home on Mac's comfy couch, turning on the plasma screen TV to the news to catch up on things around the world.

"Making yourself at home?" Mac said, causing Mel to jump in shock and squeaked. Her former boss chuckled when Stella came out wearing a red turtleneck and jeans and her favorite high heel boots.

"Damn Mac. You're like Gibbs and sneaking up on people." Melanie said, getting up as they heard the buzzer ring signaling Flack and Danny had arrived.

"It's something you learn in the Marines." Mac replied as they bundled up and headed outside in the cold, sunny day. Melanie saw Flack sitting in the front seat of his Toyota Highlander and Danny next to him in the front seat. What she didn't expect was Jessica Angell opening the back door to let the three of them in. She felt a squeeze on her shoulder from Mac, reassuring her that Flack brought her along for a reason.

"Jess." Mel said, as she moved the middle seat so she could let herself into the rear seat.

"Melanie." Jess replied, as Mel adjusted the seat so Mac and Stella could get in the SUV. Jess squeezed in and shut the door.

Don looked in his rear view mirror as everyone buckled up. "I asked her to come, Mel. That's not a crime." He said, his eyes showing his determination.

"Did I say anything about it? Jess is a part of your life and Sara needs to know that." Melanie replied harshly, her eyes riveted toward the window as Don pulled away. He sighed as everyone else remained quiet on the hour ride to Mt. Vernon where Edith and Sara lived. Mel and Flack hadn't liked it very much when Edith moved so far away with their daughter but with their problems, Mel's aunt thought it best for the child to be away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Sooner than she realized they arrived in Mt Vernon, so she continued to stare at her surroundings and as Flack turned the corner to Edith's street, Mel saw the familiar red house that stood in the shadows of huge pine trees and weeping willows. Outside tending to the garden her aunt kept very neat was a young girl with straight black hair, wearing it tied back with a red head band and red rubber band, wearing black jeans, black turtleneck and a red puffy jacket, wearing old gardening gloves on her hands as the older woman next to her, her read hair tinged with gray, instructed the young girl on how to scoop up the dirt and plant new plants underneath it.

It wasn't until Mel saw that sight that her eyes and face brightened at the sight of her daughter that looked exactly like her despite the jet black hair she inherited from her father. Edith Gillian looked up from her task only to see a familiar car pull into her driveway. Sara Flack looked up, eyes widened at the sight of her father's SUV. Melanie could tell by her expression that she had not expected a visit from her daddy for awhile.

Boy was she in for a surprise when Sara saw her. Mel remained in the car as Flack shut off the car and got out of it only to be tackled in a huge hug from Sara.

"Daddy!" Mel heard Sara exclaim as Don swung his daughter around in a circle. Edith got up slowly, wiping her hands on her jeans working her way to Don and her great niece. Don put Sara down as he gave Edie a gentle hug. Once that greeting was over, everyone else piled out of the car as Edith swooned over the amount of people that came over.

"Donnie, please call next time you want to have a party here. I don't think I even have enough food for your daughter let alone you and Danny." Edith said, as hugs were given all around. Danny got a tight hug from his niece, playfully petting her hair as she swiped his hand away. Melanie's daughter's eye lit up at the sight of Papa Mac and Stella, who squished her in a group hug with them. She noticed Jess still sat in the car, watching the scene before them sadly. Don looked in the car and nodded to Jess and Melanie to come out.

"Well Edie, I have a surprise for both of you." Don said, as the word surprise caught the shy twelve year olds attention.

"What kind of surprise, Dad?" Sara asked, her blue eyes pleading for him to give her the surprise.

"Close your eyes, Princess." Don said, as Edith looked at him curiously. "You too, Auntie."

As both of them closed their eyes, Melanie quietly moved the seat forward and opened the door. As soon as she stepped out of the SUV, Don told both of them to open their eyes.

Their reactions couldn't have been better, as Melanie stood there looking at her daughter and her caretaker with tears in her eyes. Sara stood there for a minute, shell shocked at the sights of her mother, as Edith stood there her hand over her mouth, trying to keep back the cries of happiness she wanted to release.

Sara was the first one to break free of the shock and ran toward her mother. "Mommy!" she said, as Melanie held her hands out for the tiny pre teen. Sara jumped at her mother, enveloping her in a huge hug, crying "Mommy, Mommy" over again. The two stood there hugging each other, crying as Mel's aunt walked toward the tearful reunion. The older woman placed both her arms around the duo and hugged them both, crying with them.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Don stood there, watching as his daughter reunited with her mother for the first time in four years. Jess climbed out her side, joining him at his side, watching the tearful reunion between mother and daughter.

"She's even more beautiful in person." Jess whispered, as Don just smiled.

"I know. I can't believe how fast she is growing up." He said when the trio broke away and Melanie stood side by side with her daughter, gently walking with her toward the group of people.

Soon they arrived before them, as Sara looked at Jess, her head cocked to the side. "Sara, I want you to meet Jessica Angell." Don said, as Jess gingerly held out hand to Sara who looked at his hesitantly. "Sara…"

"Sorry. Nice to meet you Ms. Angell." Sara said, shaking her hand. Jess smiled, as Sara stepped back to her mother's arms.

"Call me Jess." The brunette replied, when clearing of throat was heard.

"Sorry Edith. Edith, Jess. Jess Edith." Don said, as the older red head shook Jess's hand firmly.

"And what is your relation to Donnie?" Edith asked, as Sara was cuddled in her mother's arms. Jess looked at Don, who sighed heavily.

"She's my girlfriend, Edie." Don said, as Sara looked Jess up and down.

"Oh." Edie said, as she turned back to the house. "Let's go inside and have some snacks and drinks. I'm sure you're famished."

"I know I am." Danny exclaimed, as he ruffled Sara's hair as he passed her. Sara kicked him in return as they climbed up the stairs.

"Of course you are Danny. When are you not?" Melanie asked, as the rest of the group were welcomed into a very welcome heated environment.

"I am too." Sara declared, as the group laughed.

"I'm not surprised, short stuff. I heard you've been eating Aunt Edie out of house and home." Melanie said, tickling her daughter as they gathered around the ages old butcher's block that was turned into a dining room table. "Wonder where she gets that from."

"Hey I can't help it I like to eat. Blame my mother and her cooking." Don replied, as Melanie shook her head. "Not like she gains any weight. You sure you're feeding her Edie?"

"Come and see how empty my cupboards are!" Edie replied, her head in the fridge looking for soda and juice for everyone to drink.

"She just has my metabolism, Flack." Mel replied, as Sara brought back glasses from the kitchen as Edie placed the soda and juice on the table. "That and my good looks and intelligence."

"Your good looks? Come on you know most of those genes came from me?" Don replied, as everyone chuckled at the exchange. "Her intelligence may come from you but her common sense comes from me."

"Hey, I have common sense." Mel said, pouring herself a glass of apple juice.

"Right… who can't find her keys every morning?" Danny said, as Edie placed a tray of crackers and cheese, bread and cookies on the table.

Don looked at his daughter, whose smile was still on her face. "Please tell me that you don't misplace things everywhere." He said, as Edith shook her head.

"Sometimes I wonder how she cannot remember where she put her backpack when she puts it in the same place every time." Edith replied, as Sara stuck out her tongue at her father.

"She is my daughter through and through Flack. The only genes you donated was the black hair." Melanie retorted as she looked at Sara lovingly. "Onto a serious note."

Edith raised an eyebrow. "I'm moving back here. Permanently across from Don in a two bedroom apartment." She said, chewing on a chocolate chip as her aunt glared at her from a table.

"You're not ready, Melanie Grace Fischer." Edith said, as Sara sat there looking between her parents and her aunt.

"Who says I'm not? Don't I get to decide if I'm ready?" Mel replied harshly. "Don and I may not be together but at least, Sara can be with us again in close proximity of each other."

"What about…" Edith was about to reply when Mel interrupted her.

"Doesn't matter. You know Don loves Sara and would do anything for her. I'm back, and back for good."

Sara turned to look at her mother, eyes meeting. "Are you just saying that or are you actually going to stay this time?" she asked, as Melanie sighed, looking at Don for help. "You and Dad aren't together anymore, wouldn't this be hard for both of you?"

"It was harder being away from you for so long, darling. I missed too many years of your life and I want us to reconnect again. A teenage girl needs her mother." Melanie said, her hand caressing the soft cheek of her daughter. "I'm here to stay. For as long as you want me to."

"Do you really mean that? Are you sure you won't leave me again?" Sara said, as Don came around the table to sit next to her, turn her face toward his.

He was about to say something when Melanie waved him off. "Honey I never meant to hurt you by leaving. You are the light of my life, the star I saw every night when we were apart." Melanie said, looking at Don whose head rested on top of his daughter, his blue eyes concerned.

"So you're here to stay?" Sara asked, looking straight at her mother. Melanie held out her arms for Sara who scooted over to be in them. Melanie buried her face in her daughter's hair that smelled like jasmine and vanilla.

"I'm here to stay, sweet pea." Mel said, in her hair. "And I'm never going to leave you ever again."

"Do you promise, Mama?"

"I promise."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**And you have been formally introduced to Sara Flack and Edith Gillian. Hope you liked it. **


	12. Remember

**Note: This chapter takes place fifteen years in the future. Beware their is two character deaths, so many many tears in this chapter. Grab some tissues if you must**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any CSI:NY or NCIS characters. they are the producers and CBS. However I do own Melanie Flack, Meghan Flack, Sara, Gabriel and Madison Flack.  
**

**Remember, I will still be here  
As long as you hold me, in your memory**

Remember, when your dreams have ended  
Time can be transcended  
Just remember me

I am the one star that keeps burning, so brightly,  
It is the last light, to fade into the rising sun

I'm with you  
Whenever you tell, my story  
For I am all I've done

Remember, I will still be here  
As long as you hold me, in your memory  
Remember me

I am the one voice in the cold wind, that whispers  
And if you listen, you'll hear me call across the sky

As long as I still can reach out, and touch you  
Then I will never die

Remember, I'll never leave you  
If you will only  
Remember me

**Remember ~ Josh Groban**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Sara Flack-Reed stood at her parent's bedroom door, watching her distraught mother stand there on the edge of the bed, her palms open to the badge lying in her hands. Sara knew from the time she was very little that her mother was a strong person and always had been until now.

Until she got the news that fateful day, three days ago, that her husband of fifteen years was executed in cold blood while jogging around their street that morning. Donald Flack, Jr. was dead and there was nothing anyone, even her oldest daughter, could do to console Melanie Flack. Her daughter knew that once everything sunk in and Melanie drew out of her grief and denial that the executioner, as Sara liked to think of it, would be dead within a number of days. As long as the New York crime lab, NCIS, and the FBI BAU unit could figure out who did it.

Sara knocked softly at the door, causing her mother to look up from the badge she was holding, her teary, bloodshot eyes meeting her oldest daughter's. "Ma, snap out of it." Sara said, softly, coming to her mother's side, carefully removing her father's badge from her hands. Even though she did it, she couldn't once look at it for it was too painful to remember that her father was gone.

"I don't know, Sara-bear." Melanie said, using Sara's nickname solely used by her father. "You think after living without him for four years that I could do it now. But for some reason, I can't. I can't imagine my life without him."

Sara lovingly rubbed her mother's back, as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. Seeing her mother like this it broke Sara's heart in half. For all the times, her mother stood in her room at night, being the strong solid figure for her to lean on during her teen years, now she felt it was her turn to be strong for her mother, her friend.

She held her mother, her shining light that held her through the many heartbreaks of high school and through the tough semesters at college away from home, as she sobbed her heart out. Soon enough, Sara was sobbing with her mother, angry at her father for leaving her and his kids, even his one month grandchild, but most of all for promising to always be there.

If there was one person she always expected to leave it was her mother, the person who always liked to run away from problems and never face them. So far, Melanie Flack had faced her problems, trying to keep a brave face for the rest of her four children, Gabriel who thirteen, Savannah who was eleven, and then the twins, Madison and Brendan, who were seven. Gabe, Savie and Sara knew exactly was what going on and was trying to keep the twins and the Messers from seeing reality. The time would come soon enough where Melanie had to explain to her youngest two that Daddy was never coming home.

"Ma, its ok to cry. It's alright to grieve for Dad, it's ok." Sara said, in between sobs, letting her grief, anger and sadness come out at all once. Saying that made her mother cry harder, her face streamlined with tears when she looked up into her daughter's eyes. "Ma, is there something else?"

Mel soon enough stopped crying only to shake it off, pushing herself upwards so she could walk somewhere in her bedroom. She opened a box, which Sara knew after giving birth, her mother kept all her pregnancy tests, minus the strips, and grabbed something. She sat down holding out the positive test to her oldest daughter. Sara looked down at it in disbelief.

"You're pregnant?" Sara asked, looking straight at her mother. Mel sighed and nodded. "How far?"

"Three months. I just told your father day before he died, after feeling so ill for so long." Melanie replied, as Sara's heart broke even more. Sara knew this came as a surprise for both of them, thinking that since both of her parents were near fifty that becoming pregnant was a difficult thing to do.

"He won't even get know his baby." Sara said softly, as they heard a knock on the door. The duo looked up only to see Stella Bonasera-Taylor standing there, her eyes full of anguish. If there was anyone that fully understood what the Flack family was going through, it was Stella and her two kids, Kylie and Olivia.

"I came to see how you two were holding up." Stella said, coming to sit on the floor in front of the two. "I couldn't help but overhear the news, Mel."

Melanie sniffed a little, as Stella reached over to the Kleenex box a few inches to grab some tissue for the grieving widow. "It' unbelievable Stell. That he could be gone just like that. To know full well he isn't going to walk through that door again, to not hear his voice telling everyone he was home. For him not to know his new child." The red head shook her head, blowing her nose. "I wondered how you made it after what happened to Mac. I always admired how strong you were, but now I know that behind closed doors away from those girls that you cried your heart out every night."

Stella's eyes began to fill with tears as Sara tried to hold back a fresh set of them after reliving the memories of hearing that Papa Mac was never coming back. In Sara's mind, Mac was always immortal that nothing could hurt him, then that horrific day when a bust went back and Mac got shot in the neck. Don Flack tried to save him as best as he could, as the young, new CSI tried to help. Sara still has nightmares about that day, as Mac died in her and her father's arms.

"It may be difficult, but over time the ache begins to fade. Not all the way but some." Stella said, as they heard footsteps in the hall. The three women turned to see a tearful Madison Flack, whose blue eyes searched for her mommy, as Gabriel slid to a stop in front of the door. As soon as Maddie saw her mother, she ran toward her, her tiny arms flinging around the slender neck of the person of comfort.

"Sorry, Mom. I tried to stop her, but all she wanted was her mommy." Gabe said, as Melanie wrapped her youngest daughter in her arms rocking her softly.

"It's ok." Melanie replied, as she waved in her oldest son, who was a spitting image of his father, built big and strong like him even at thirteen. As Sara stroked the seven year olds curly red hair, Gabe sat down sat to Stella looking at his mother carefully. Her stern stare met his equally guilty one. "Spill, Gabriel Holden Flack."

"She heard Uncle Danny and Aunt Lindsay talking." Gabe replied as Melanie gave him "I know there's more" stare. "More like yelling. She apparently heard about Dad."

Melanie looked down at the now sniffling seven year old. She sighed, placing a kiss in her hair. "She was going to have to find out sooner or later, sweetie." She gently pulled Madison from around her neck to place her on her own lap, facing her tear streaked face. "Baby girl, listen to me…"

"Someone hurt Daddy. I heard Uncle Danny yelling it." Madison yelled, causing Mel and Sara to flinch. "Mommy, do something, help Daddy. You always helped Daddy when he was hurt."

As soon as Sara heard that, her heart went out to her seven year old sister, who didn't know better that there was nothing they could do for their father. Melanie gently caressed her daughter's cheek, brushing away the tears that were again running down her cheeks. "Maddie, baby. Someone did hurt Daddy. Someone hurt him real bad and I couldn't even help him."

Madison looked at her mother quizzically. "But daddy is coming back right?"

Mel held back the tears that threatened to fall again. "No sweetie. Daddy's not coming back. He's up in heaven with Papa Mac." Madison's blue eyes widened at her mother's answer, her bottom lip starting to quiver.

"But Daddy's promised he would come back, no matter what. Why would Daddy break a promise to me?" Madison asked, as Melanie's tears started flowing again. Sara reached out carefully, grabbing her baby sister from her grieving mother.

"Daddy didn't mean to break his promise sweetheart. God just decided he needed another angel up in heaven, beside Papa Mac." Melanie said, as Sara held the tiny child against her chest, rocking her gently. "He broke a lot of promises baby, but he didn't want to go. Always know that your daddy loves you, that he loves all of you."

That was the unspoken version of leave me alone for a bit, I need to yell at God from Melanie Flack. So Gabe, Stella, Sara with Madison in her arms stood up carefully, exiting the room to leave Melanie alone with her unbearable grief.

As Sara gave Madison to Stella to hold, she heard something she thought she would never hear again.

"Goddammit, Donald Flack. You promised like I promise that we wouldn't leave each other. Why the hell did you have to do it now? Why did you leave me?!"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to the help of Stella, Lindsay Messer, Sheldon and Jessica Hawkes, and Don's family, Melanie was allowed to wallow in her grief for three days. She constantly heard footsteps around her bed, placing water, food and various other items on her nightstand as she cried there, holding her husband's pillow tightly.

It was the third day of grief that she realized she wasn't any help to her family or her grieving friend, staying locked up in her room, talking to no one. So Melanie Flack decided that she was going to figure who the hell torn her finally happy family apart and there was going to be hell to pay when she found them. She turned on the shower in the bathroom attached to her and Don's bedroom, waiting for it to get steaming hot. She got in, washing away all the grief and sadness away with the steaming hot water, trying not to remember the many mornings she and Don spend a good half hour in there, reveling in each other's bodies. Mel could swear that the passionate lovemaking that ensues shortly there after was how most of her children were conceived, especially the newest addition.

Once she was showered and dressed, so far the only memories revisited were the ones that happened in the shower and the bed, she quietly opened her door to reveal the early morning sunlight streaming under the doors of her children's room, signaling most of them were asleep for at least another thirty minutes. She padded downstairs only to be greeted by the smell of chocolate chip pancakes, French toast, bacon and eggs, as she considered briefly that Mac had returned from the dead, only to make her comfort food.

As it turned out, it was Mac's other half, Stella in her kitchen cooking up a storm, as Lindsay washed and dried dishes. Her oldest daughter was bouncing her one month old baby on her hip, cooing to her as she set the kitchen table for four. She stopped when she noticed Melanie standing there watching everyone, with a slight smile on her face.

"So in order for me not to do any work around this house, someone has to die. I see how it is." Melanie said, as the other three women gawked at her humor. "I'm trying to be funny, cut me some slack."

Stella shook her head as Lindsay dried off her hands to engulfed her best friend in a warm hug. As they pulled away, Lindsay looked her straight in the eye. "It's good to see you up and about. I was a bit worried about you."

Mel smiled, as Stella started setting food on the table. "I was getting worried about myself too. Then I realized that wallowing in my grief isn't how Don would want me to handle this situation." Melanie replied, her mouth watering at the sights and smells of the Greek's cooking. "Now someone tell me why my children are still in bed?"

Lindsay and Sara looked sheepish. "We had a sleepover with all the kids. They all wanted to see each other, help each other through this tough time." Stella replied, as Sara placed little Anastasia in her carried, placed on the chair next to her.

"What about school?" Melanie asked, as the two other women sat down around her.

"Principal stated they could have one more week, then they would need to be back. Losing a father, and uncle are difficult things for children to deal with." Stella said, as again as Melanie helped her to the wondrous breakfast in front of her. Melanie nodded in response as she wolfed down her breakfast.

She looked around as her fellow friend and colleagues, trying to gauge the reaction she was about to get. "I want to go into the office today." She put it simply as the other three women looked at each waringly. "Or is there something you want to tell me first?"

They heard a heavy in the background as a ragged Danny Messer appeared in the kitchen apparently awakened by the smell of food. Just like Don would do if Melanie cooked breakfast on morning he was off. "Jesus Christ, how many people slept in my house last night?" Melanie asked, as her best friend of over twenty years leaned heavily against the door way.

"Enough." Lindsay replied, her stare narrowing at the sight of her hung over husband. "Excuse me." The petite brunette got up and walked briskly toward her husband, placing a small hand on his back, leading him back to the basement where Melanie guessed he came from, softly calming him down.

"He's in worse shape than I am." Melanie stated, as they heard a knock at the back door. Stella was about to get up when Melanie waved her down. "Eat. Let me get it."

As soon as she stepped around the corner into the mud room, she saw her father, her sister and Don's older brothers Chris and Kevin, along with his parents, who looked worse for the wear. Melanie knew everyone was grieving and it was time for her to grieve with everyone else.

She gave a slight smile as she unlocked the screen door to let them in. As each of them took off their shoes, they engulfed her in huge hugs as they filed into the kitchen. The last one was her sister, who took a moment to hold her grieving sister tightly.

"God, I have no idea what you are going through." Meg said, whispering in her ear as Melanie squeezed her tightly. "We'll talk later ok. We have a break in the case."

Mel pulled away to look at her sister in the eyes. Soon after Meg had her first born, she left the FBI and got her master's in forensic science and joined Mac's team at the crime lab. She was left in charge of the night shift, while Stella headed up the lab once Mac had got promoted to Commissioner right before he died. "I think that was what Stella and Lindz were trying to tell me before Danny busted up the party."

Meg shook her brown curls in disbelief. "Danny's taking it real hard isn't he?" she asked, as Mel and her twin came into the kitchen, where everyone was helping themselves to portions of breakfast.

"I guess. We haven't talked yet. It's been too difficult to do so." Melanie replied, as everyone brought their plates to their formal dining room, where Don's laptop and Rangers jacket stood at the end, not yet disturbed since his death. Everyone stopped, as everyone seemed to stop to breathing, reliving memories in that very dining room. Soon enough everyone decided to opt out of eating in the living room and decided on the family room right next door. As everyone settled down, Melanie decided that this was possibly the best time to break the heartbreaking but heartwarming news.

As soon as she was about to speak, they heard another knock, this time at the front door. Lindsay waved for everyone to sit down as she went to go answer it, and seconds later returned with Sheldon and Jessica Angell-Hawkes. They both expressed their sympathy, along with their grief upon laying on the now widow situated on the floor, playing with her grand daughter. She looked around at part of her family wishing that certain other people were here to hear the news. As soon as she thought that she heard another knock at the door, as Lindsay looked quizzically around at the people who were already gathered, obviously wondering who was at the door.

Once she opened the door, Melanie heard familiar voices. "We got here as soon as we could. Had to talk Vance into taking all five of our kids so we could come up here." Anthony Dinozzo said breathlessly.

"We really wish we could be here sooner." Timothy McGee said as footsteps trailed into the crowded family, when Melanie lit up at the sight of Gibbs team entering her house. All six of them, Tony, Ziva David, Abby Scuito, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, McGee, and Dr Donald Mallard, sat across from Melanie on the floor as they all offered strong smiles as their support, even though she knew that Don's death hit them just as hard as everyone here in New York. Especially since they were expecting her to move to DC to become the Director of NCIS in two months, but now Melanie didn't even know if she wanted the job.

"Now that everyone is here, I have some news." Melanie said, as she saw the now awake but alert Danny entered the room standing behind everyone else quietly. She smiled at Danny, assuring that soon everything would be ok.

"As do we." Gibbs said, solemnly staring dutifully at the CSI's in the room along with the Captain of the Homicide, Jess. "But you go ahead."

Melanie took a breath, looking down at the infant in her arms. "I'm pregnant." She said, as collective gasps were heard around the room. "No worries, Don knew before he died. I'm around three months along."

Everyone was murmuring at this time, looking around at everyone trying to decided what to think about the new situation. Melanie carefully handed Ana to her mother as she waved to get everyone's attention. "Listen, please. This baby was both a surprise for me and Don but a very welcome baby who comes at a time where there was death." Mel said, as everyone quieted down. "There may have been a life taken away but another life has been granted a chance to live. I know being as old as I am holds many more health risks but I hope everyone here will be extremely supportive of me."

Everyone nodded as they looked around at each other, trying to figure out who was going to tell her about the break in the case. Melanie had been itching to get out in the field again, to figure out who the hell killed her husband as few houses down from their home. She was hoping her friends and family would let her in on this case, even though it was close to home, even if it meant giving up the director job to do so.

Gibbs was about to speak when there was another knock at her door. Melanie slowly got up, a wave of dizziness hitting her as she walked toward her door, wondering who else wanted to come by to give condolences to her and her grieving family. To her surprise it was Chief of Detectives Brigham Sinclair and Commissioner Gillian Whitmore standing there their faces grim. Melanie looked at them quizzically her hand frozen on the door.

"Last time you were here Brig, it was to tell me my husband is dead." Mel said, as she stood there her arms crossed. "Now everyone I know and love are here with me, what do you have to tell me?"

"We have new information in your husband's case that needs your immediate attention and wisdom." Gillian Whitmore said, her brown eyes meeting Melanie's eyes. "Usually I don't allow the spouses of fallen officers in on a case but this deserves your input. I doubt even Detective Messer would know this answer."

Melanie looked at Sinclair, whose mouth was set in a firm line. "Well, let me figure out who will stay with the kids and both teams will be at the crime lab shortly." Melanie replied, as the two upper division politicians nodded, walking away. Melanie shut the door quietly only to lean against it heavily. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out why in the hell no one could figure out her husband's case but her. It must be something from both of their pasts that only she and Don would know about. She stood up, walking toward the family room where the people she loved waited to tell her the major break in the case.

And this time, no one was going to interrupt her. And Melanie Flack was going to find out her killed her husband, and once she did, she felt sorry for the sick bastard because she would hesitate to shoot him.

And if it meant to get every piece of information out of her family and friends, then so be it. Because goddammit who did this was going to pay. And they were going to pay big time.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Melanie Flack and the team arrived at the crime lab in thirty minutes, sirens wailing on the way there. Once they got up there, everyone went their separate ways. All of Stella's team, including Sara, McGee and Abby went to the crime lab to look over the evidence left at Don Flack's murder. Jess, Gibbs, Tony and Ziva went down to the homicide bullpen as they briefed everyone on the profile built by the Aaron Hotchner's BAU unit on what to look for in the suspect. That left Melanie to head up to Sinclair's office where he and Whitmore waited for her, to give her exact instruction on her role in this investigation.

They had managed to convince Ducky, her father, Chris, Kevin and Don's parents to stay at the house to take care of the myriad of kids of the crime lab. Thank goodness they all wanted to stay behind because Melanie wanted to be a part of this investigation and thank goodness, Sinclair and Whitmore were willing to bend the rules a little bit.

Melanie knocked on the office door of Sinclair as she heard two come in's resounding from the office. She stepped in , dressed warmly in jeans, a black turtleneck, and black mid shaft boots, gazing at the her two equals in the NYPD sitting there their faces in anguish.

"Sit down please Agent Flack." Sinclair said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. "I know you are still grieving and you have every right to be but we need your assistance."

"By all means, Commissioner, Chief, fire away. I want to get my husband's killer as much as everyone else does." Melanie replied, as Sinclair leaned heavily on his desk, sighing.

"We have reasons to believe that Elliott Hanley and the leader of the Wilder gang now have hooked up." Whitmore said, handing Melanie a thick folder, as Melanie's head shot up recognizing the Marine that tried to blow her up not once but twice.

"You mean Elliott Hanley has been released?" Melanie said, opening the case from fifteen years prior. Both of them nodded. "Are you kidding me?"

"Unfortunately Mrs. Flack were are not. We think that either Hanley or Aherne were the ones who shot your husband." Sinclair said, as Melanie glowered.

"How the hell did Hanley get released?" Melanie asked, her eyes riveted on the case file in front of her.

"He served his sentence, a few years less for good behavior. Apparently neither you nor your husband were available for the hearing at the time according to his defense attorney." Commissioner Whitmore replied, as Melanie looked up at her.

"I never heard about him possibly getting parole. How the hell does that information not get to me?" Melanie asked, furious. She put the asshole away for a reason, he posed a threat to the public and the country.

"It never got to us either, until now." Sinclair replied, as Melanie saw a fury in his eyes she hadn't seen since Mac Taylor died two years before. "Don Flack was a damn good cop, and I don't know if he told you but I put him up for my job. I know that would have interfered with your new promotion, but he would have run this department effortlessly, taking no bullshit. Now because of that bastard, I have to find another replacement, someone who clearly would never fill your husband's footsteps."

Melanie's eyes widened at Sinclair heartfelt words. "No sir I never knew. Once I told him I was pregnant, he was too ecstatic to think about anything else." Sinclair nodded, as Melanie continued. "No offense sir, but he would have wanted me to be promoted before him."

"And I know that. But no one should have executed Don Flack in such a way, where he was an innocent not a cop. A father, not a smart ass who mouthed off to his superiors." Sinclair said, as Melanie snickered. "He didn't deserve to die that way. He deserved to die a hero, saving someone's life not protecting his own. Which is why I asked you here to today."

"Why sir?"

"I want to find this bastard again. And I want you to find him" Sinclair said, fury apparent in his voice. Melanie looked at him again then to Whitmore whose eyes portrayed the same feeling.

"Why me? Why not Jess, or Stella? Hell even Danny?" Melanie asked as she got up slowly, tucking the file under her arms, staring Sinclair in the eyes. "Why Brig? Why?"

"Because I want the bastard dead."

"So do I but that doesn't explain why you want me to bring him down." Melanie stated, as the two in front of her seethed in anger.

"I'm giving you the go ahead to find the bastard." Sinclair said, pushing her husbands file toward her.

"Which means what? You giving me the permission to take over the case and look the other way if the bastard winds up dead?"

Sinclair nodded. "That right. I'm giving you to clearance…" he cleared his throat. "Clearance to shoot to kill."

Melanie nodded as she turned around to walk out of his office. "Oh and Melanie?" She turned around to look at Sinclair.

"What?"

"Don't miss."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**I know you probably hate me, but it brings to light how people are going to deal with Don Flack's death. Soon we'll go back to the present, after a little conversation between Melanie and Danny. Review!**


	13. No More Sorrow

**Again this chapter takes place fifteen years into the future. So enjoy, we have a little corrupt politics going on here.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize. I do how own Melanie Flack, Sara Flack and Senator Nelson. Thank you.  
**

**Are you lost  
In your lies  
Do you tell yourself I don't realize**

Your crusade's a disguise  
Replace freedom with fear  
You trade money for lives

I'm aware of what you've done  
No more sorrow  
I've paid for your mistakes  
Your time is borrowed  
Your time has come to be replaced

I see pain  
I see need  
I see liars and thieves  
Abuse power with greed

I had hope  
I believed  
But I'm beginning to think that I've been deceived  
You will pay for what you've done

**~No More Sorrow - Linkin Park  
**

Stella Bonsera Taylor sat in her office, rubbing her eyes from looking at crime scene photos of one of her best friends. Even though she hated to look at it since it brought back the worst memories of her own husband's death, she thought if she kept looking, someone she hadn't noticed before would pop out. So far, straining her eyes and a pretty magnificent headache was the result she got. The Greek leaned back in her chair, sighing, knowing that if no one found any sort of concrete evidence, everyone would have to answer to not only a grieving but hormonal pregnant Melanie Flack. Stella herself had experienced that later not once but three times and it wasn't a pretty sight during interrogations and in the lab. However, the grieving side of Melanie brought another problem to the table and Stella was afraid if she couldn't find anything, Mel would go off on her own and risk not only her life but her unborn child's.

Stella wouldn't have either of that, so she worked her ass off since Don's death, only stopping to help comfort the inconsolable Melanie. In her mind, Stella could get away from the painful resemblance Don's murder was to Mac Taylor's only three years ago if she worked long and hard. Stella knew deep down that these two horrific cold blooded executions were somehow related and that someone high up within the New York government wanted them dead. So far, the person in question had won, tearing not one but two families apart. Stella was as determined to nail this guy as she was fifteen years ago with Sebastian Diakos, though she wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

"I hate to interrupt the deep thought you are apparently in but I've got some leads from the evidence." Stella heard Sara say, as she swung her head to see the petite new mother at the doorway in her office. Stella waved her in, as the black haired beauty slid into the chair in front of Stella.

"Still wondering why the hell I am letting you work your own father's case." Stella claimed, closing the folder she had in front of her.

"Because I'm a damn good CSI and don't let my emotions run my case." Sara replied, as Stella shook her head.

"Sounds like someone I used to know." A familiar voice sounded as the two women sitting there turned to see Melanie leaning against the door frame, folders in hand and under her arm. Both women smiled as the red head walked into the room, making herself comfortable in the chair next to Sara. She laid the multiple folders on the desk, where Stella discreetly moved the photos of Don's body to the side.

Stella smiled sadly, looking at the picture to her right of her wedding day to Mac fourteen years, with Melanie as maid of honor and Don was the best man. After the entire incident of Melanie and Sara being kidnapped, Mac and Don had been inseparable and became very close friends. Now they were both dead, murdered by someone who wanted them out of their way, leaving in the wake two families trying to discern why this had happened to them.

"Mac always had told me to use my head not my heart on a constant basis." Stella said, returning Melanie's strange greeting. "What happened with Sinclair and Whitmore? Did they tell you to stay out of it?"

"On the contrary." Mel replied, as the two women guffawed, trying to figure out why the two would bend the rules. "They told me not to miss the bastard when I shot him."

"Are you serious?" Sara replied, her blue eyes wide with surprise. Both Stella and Melanie felt like Flack was there with them when she made that surprised face, just like her father. Mel shook herself out of her reverie so she could answer her daughter truthfully.

"Very. They basically gave me the case, and told me to include them when we take down the bastards." Melanie replied as Stella nodded. "Now they told me they suspect Aherne and Hanley of the dirty work. But my question is, who ordered the hit on Don and me?"

"Good question and I may have the answer." Sara replied, opening up her folder setting in front of her mother. Stella has noticed over the last four years of mother and daughter working cases together, they had formed a friendship and bond over their jobs. Off the job, they were like every other mother daughter out there but on the job, utter professionalism between the two. Stella glanced at it, recognizing the name in the folder.

"Senator Andrew Nelson?" Stella asked, as Melanie kept reading the report in the folder. She sighed heavily, putting the report back down on Stella's desk. Even after all new advancements in technology in the past ten years, the NYPD had yet to steer away from paper trails, thinking no one would be able to hack into paper to see cases.

Melanie closed her eyes briefly, breathing in and out. "Senator Andrew Nelson, otherwise known as Meghan and I's biological father."

After Melanie had been shot for the third time, twelve years ago and her blood gathered as evidence they ran it through CODIS only to get a hit, from a Senators DNA having the same alleles as Melanie's. Mac, fortunately had kept it on the down low, only trusting in his wife and team to keep the identity of Mel's real father. It wasn't until now that his name came up again, so Melanie grew extremely suspicious of what Senator Nelson's intentions were.

"From the evidence gathered, we suspect that Nelson has ties, very big ones to the former Wilder gang." Sara said, looking between the two older women.

"Don and I knew there was a hit out of us a few weeks back. We hired some plainclothes from here and two NCIS agents to tail us at all times. Don was investigating the resurgence of the gang he supposedly disbanded over eighteen years ago, only to find out that Nelson was helping them transport drugs within the city here, buying out cops left and right." Melanie replied, her eyes on her wedding band that she hadn't taken off yet. "I shouldn't have trusted those plainclothes. It was on their watch Donnie was killed."

"Are you sure on this evidence Sara?" Stella asked, as she looked at the photo of Mac, her and the girls lovingly.

"Extremely. Even so I think I may have a tie to Mac's murder with this one." Sara replied, as Melanie and Stella's head turned sharply to her. "The bullet recovered in Dad, I mean Detective Flack, was the same caliber and had the exact same striations as Mac's did. Hawkes and I went it over twice and got a match in the database. It was an exact match. Whoever killed Mac killed Dad too."

For a few minutes, someone could have cut the tension in Stella's office with a knife. It wasn't until Melanie spoke that the moment of silence was broken. "Of course whoever did this, killed the two detectives who had the most enemies and the most arrests, throwing suspicion on anyone Mac and Don arrested in their careers. God, these bastards are smart."

Sara shook her head, pulling another report from her file. "Not as smart as we think, Ma." She said, putting the report in front of her mother's face. "Senator Nelson's fingerprints were on the bullets."

Melanie grabbed the report in front of her face to read it. "They were." She stated, looking at Stella's whose blue eyes were on fire. "You know what that means right?"

"We have to bring him down." Stella said, her voice determined. She had finally put the last piece of the puzzle together in her husband's murder, and she as determined as Melanie to bring the bastard down.

Melanie shook her head. "I need to pay Senator Nelson a visit, as the director of NCIS to inform him of our findings."

"Are you sure that's the right decision?" Sara asked, looking at Stella for help in this situation. Stella, however knew the cards Melanie would put on the table with Nelson.

"It's what she has to do, Sara to catch him at his own game." Stella replied, looking at Melanie directly. "She has the power at her disposal to do what she needs to do. What we need to do is connect Hanley and Aherne to Nelson."

"Why does she get to have all the fun?" Sara whined, as the two women chuckled. Melanie got up, pressing a kiss to her daughter's cheek.

"Because, honey, I've been playing this game for a long time and I'm pretty damn good at it." Melanie said, as Stella smiled. "Just like we did with Kolovos and Diakos."

Stella nodded. "Just like it." Sara looked quizzically between the good friends and colleagues.

"What the hell do you two mean by that?" the younger women asked, as they looked at her.

"Stella played a dangerous game with two Greek antiquities dealers right after I got back. I was able to lure both of them into a trap, shipping them back to Greece on charges of murder and extortion." Melanie said, looking at her daughter square in the eye. "Only this time no one is going to be hurt like before. We are careful and watchful of everyone we speak to. The only people you trust are Stella, Hawkes, Danny, Lindsay, Adam, Gibbs' team, Angell and your aunt. Anyone else lie through your teeth about evidence. Someone is out to get us and won't stop until we are all dead."

"What about Sinclair and Whitmore?" Sara asked, as her mother started to walk out of the room. She turned around, her blue eyes icy.

"I wouldn't trust them with anything as this moment." Melanie simply stated, as Sara nodded.

"And if they ask anything?"

"As I told you, lie like you used to when you tried to hide you not being a virgin from your father." Melanie said, walking out the door. Sara turned to look at Stella, whose face was grim.

"We're sitting ducks Sara." Stella replied softly. Sara sighed.

"What about our families, our kids?"

"Gibbs is taking care of it as we speak. Our job is to nail this guy with as much evidence as we can, looking out for ourselves in the process." Stella replied, as Sara gathered her reports. "Leave them here. I don't want anyone else looking at them except for me."

Sara nodded. "What about us, Stel? Who the hell are we supposed to trust?"

The curly haired detective sighed heavily. "The only ones we can trust."

"Who Stella? Who?"

"Our team."

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Melanie walked briskly down the east side stairs of the crime lab hoping not to be noticed by anyone else. She was on a mission and by God she wasn't gonna let anyone or anything get in her way. Her cell phone rang as she got to the ground floor of the building exiting toward the nearest subway station.

"Fischer." She answered using her maiden name purposely, looking behind her shoulder on the crowded street. She heard Gibbs on the other stating nothing had been found and they were still looking. Code for being the safe house had been established and her family and everyone's else was already there. She sighed in relief. "Great Gibbs, just what I needed to hear. Call me if you have anything. I'm on my way to a briefing."

"Have a good day, Director. See you soon." Gibbs replied, hanging up. Melanie ran down the tunnel steps quickly, scanning her subway card to get into the station. She looked through her address book looking for the number of the powerful senator's office. She knew he was in town, because it was on the news right before her husband's murder. She figured she could finagle a meeting with Nelson, just with her title alone.

Vance for the time being had stepped down the director position to stay out of the limelight during the investigation, giving all the power to Melanie as the Deputy Director. She was planning on using that to her full advantage for this investigation of her husband and former mentor's murders.

"Hello, this is Director Melanie Flack of NCIS. I need to speak with Senator Nelson immediately." Melanie said, as she waiting for the subway once she got a hold of Nelson's secretary. "No not tomorrow. Now."

She heard the flustered young woman hurriedly typing in her keyboard trying to find an open spot for the obviously important director who wanted to speak to the Senator. "Can you be here in twenty minutes?"

"Yes, I will be there." Melanie said, hanging up as she jumped onto the subway. She held on the metal pole, resting her head against it. Her stomach was queasy and her head hurt like brick had hit her. She wasn't going to let this guy win, even if she was related to him by blood.

Melanie arrived at the Senator's office in fifteen minutes, as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder, straightening her shoulder as she waited to be seen by the Senator. The aide came out, noticing the obviously grieving but agitated Director pacing the hallway.

"Senator Nelson is ready for you Director Flack." She meekly said, as Melanie head popped up. "Right through that door."

"Thank you." Melanie replied, walking into the room confidently like she deserved to be. His office was even more lavish that her own, and her soon to be office in DC, with a heavy oak desk sitting right in the middle of the room where the aging Senator sat contently, smiling as Melanie walked up to him.

"Have a seat, Director." Nelson said, waving his hand to the uncomfortable looking chair in front of him. "I certainly was not expecting to have an emergency meeting with the Director of NCIS, only six days after her husband's murder. Why do I have the pleasure of seeing you today?"

Melanie quickly surveyed her surroundings, and sized the man who was truly her father up and down. The man was arrogant, selfish bastard that left her mother immediately after she found out she was pregnant. Yet she bet he never guessed that the powerful, graceful woman sitting in front of him was biologically related to him. "I have come because of my husband's cold blooded murder, Senator."

The gray hair senator pretended to exude grief at the loss of Lieutenant Don Flack. "I was very saddened to hear of his demise Director. My sympathies go out to you and your family." He said, taking a sip of water from the Fiji bottle in front of him. "Did my aides offer you anything to drink or eat, Mrs. Flack?"

"It's Director Senator. And yes but I turned them down, my stomach is feeling the best right now." Melanie replied tersely.

Nelson nodded, folding his hands on his desk, looking her straight in the eye. "So you are here because of your dead husband. What service can I be to you?"

"Well.." Melanie started to say when her phone buzzed. She picked it up only to see a text message from Angell, stating they were ready. "Sorry, my office saying that there is a new case that needs to be looked at. Where were we?"

Melanie smiled sweetly, as the senator looked her up at down. "You were about to say how I could be of service to you."

"Oh right. I have found evidence that you had something to do with Lieutenant Don Flack's cold blooded murder, Senator." Melanie simply stated hands folded on her lap. The selfish, egotistical senator feigned surprise and hurt at the insinuation she had just given.

"Are you saying, that I, a US Senator, had something to do with the murder of one of NYPD's finest detectives and officers? Your evidence must be horribly wrong, Director Flack. I would never risk my career and law making abilities for murder of a mere police officer."

"Not if he was about to oust your drug smuggling operations with the Wilder gang here in New York City. If I were you I would want someone like that out of my way." Melanie retorted, laying on the heavy wooden desk the mug shots of Elliot Hanley and Ryan Aherne as she calmly sat back as his eyes scanned the photos. A slight fear went off in his eyes and she knew that she would have him soon. Senator Nelson pushed the photos back to her, shaking his head.

"Sorry, Director, I do not recognize these criminals." Nelson said, taking a sig of his Fiji bottle of water on his desk. Melanie stood up, putting the mug shots back into her folder.

"That's too bad, Senator. Because you cannot fool a top notch profiler like me." Melanie said, putting her hands on his desk staring him straight in the eye. "For some weird reason, fear shown in your eyes as soon as I pulled out those photos. I will have your ass Senator, especially because you were probably the one who put the hit out on my husband and I. Guess you messed with the wrong family."

Senator Nelson sat there, his eyes and face showing no emotion. "I will not give up until you, Hanley and Aherne are in their grave. So let this be my warning, Senator." As soon as she said that, she straightened up and turned around, walking toward the door of Nelson's office, until she heard his cold, calculating voice.

"What exactly are you saying, Director?"

Melanie turned around to face the ambiguous senator who was on her last nerve. "If I find out that you had something to do with my husband's murder, your body will never be found. I swear upon my husband's grave, that if you did I will rip everything you ever had away from you just like you did me. You killed an honorable man, an excellent cop, a fantastic father and a wonderful husband. And I promise you, you will pay for what you did Senator. You will get what's coming to you."

"Is that a threat, Melanie?"

She looked straight in the cold face of the corrupt government official. "No Senator Nelson that is a promise."

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**Hopefully back to the present soon. Review please!**


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